Newcastle United Football Club have appointed London-based investment bank Seymour Pierce to handle the sale of the club.
Mike Ashley – attempting to sell Newcastle United
The chairman of Seymour Pierce is Keith Harris, who was involved in selling Chelsea to Roman Abramovich in 2003, and who has recently been brought in to help Mike Ashley sell the club he only bought in May of last year.
The former Football League chairman also brokered the deal that saw Thaksin Shinawatra take over Manchester City last year, and was involved in the buying of West Ham United, which was fronted by the Icelandic businessman Eggert Magnusson.
Keith was also involved in the acquisition of Aston Villa by Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is following the Newcastle fans’ wishes that he sell the club, after allowing Kevin Keegan to leave the club dramatically this month, just after the transfer window closed.
It appeared that players were being bought and sold by the newcastle Board, without the manager Kevin Keegan being told of what was going on.
A Newcastle United statement today said:
“The board of Newcastle United can confirm it has appointed the London-based investment bank Seymour Pierce to act on the potential sale of the club.”
“All matters relating to the sale of the club, including inquiries from interested parties, should go through Seymour Pierce.”
“The club will be making no further comment at this time.”
The sooner the club finds a buyer the better, and certainly Keith Harris has an excellent recent track record in this business – so that’s good news.
Comments welcome.
243 comments so far
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:34 PM
Comment #1Lets just hope something will happen quick
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Comment #2The only real worry is, look at the mess Harris made oc selling City to a con man, we cant afford the same to happen to us
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:37 PM
Comment #3Who made the price of £481 million- Orville?
ronaldeano
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:43 PM
Comment #4TT, LOL 🙂
t00nL00ney27
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:44 PM
Comment #5As I posted yesterday, the club is now SOLD and the buyers are carrying out due diligence. Hence the reason they have brought in pierce bank to oversee the sale.
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:49 PM
Comment #6Any clues ToonLoney? Kevin in an earlier link was going on about Albini (sorry, know I’ve spelt his name wrong) and that the club is £50m in debt. Could there be some truth in this?
Ganiyu
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:49 PM
Comment #7Sell up.no time for boys
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Comment #8Hallow Dinho – hope that knacker ganiyu stays clear tonight! 😀
Ganiyu
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:52 PM
Comment #9Tomb-im always Online.guess ur missing my presence.
CLINT FLICK
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:53 PM
Comment #10is that steve albini, record producer?
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Comment #11Aw no talk about timing- ganiyu do one man I was in a good mood.
Ganiyu
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Comment #12Tomb-wats ur problem with me?
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:58 PM
Comment #13You support Spurs, you make inappropriate comments about juveniles. You sometimes talk like Bob Marley, you sometimes forget. Apart from that you seem ok. 😀
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Comment #14Thats the one Clint ha ha! I know, I should have looked his name up. Just wish somebody would buy us and somebody who can run the club as it should be
humberto gonzales
Sep 22, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Comment #15Hi all, new to this site, had a look at the archives, some good stuff. 1 thing is clear…Nando and Ganiyu should podge each other!!
Ganiyu
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:00 PM
Comment #16Tomb-wat do ya think of Nufc nigeria?
Ganiyu
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Comment #17Tomb-im a nigerian bolton is more popular than spurs
Alex
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Comment #18Any one will be better than Ashley . If it is the Nigerians then they want Keegan as manager , as things stand at the minute that would be the best option , he knows the players and that will at least stabilise the club .
King Kev Foreva
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:05 PM
Comment #19All I hope for is a quick sale, but also a good one… I am worried about the Nigerians story… scraping together another 50 million to get the club… sorry but this does not sound like very rich people which we need… look at Fat-Ash he has billions and was still a cheap skate… We need someone with more money than Fat-Ash has so we can actually buy some players… Please god let someone rich come in and buy us, reinstate Keegan and give hum funds and power and a chance to see if her can do it again… that’s all we want
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Comment #20NUFC Nigeria ganiyu -black and white mate. Nigeria is an up and coming country with rich resources. If they buy us and put money in and respect the fans-bring it on.
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:12 PM
Comment #21Think the Nigerian story could be a patsy from Ashley -to raise the bids from other suitors.
leo
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Comment #22maybe ashley didnt spend because he didnt have the ‘liquidity’ he has made some bad financial choices recently.
Just becz the nigerians r having 2 ‘scrape together’ 50mil more doesnt mean they wont be able to back the club in the xfer market, it seems like there is a decent sized group of wealthy nigerians involved maybe they wil all put so much in each year etc…
My main worry is to wether this is just a means 4 these nigerians to ‘clean’ their ‘dirty’ money, bit like the ex mancity boss…
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Comment #23tom tomb, I wondered the same thing. Can’t see anybody wanting to pay that much for the club, but with “an offer” coming in, might make somebody think and up the price after his middle east trip
Spitfire
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:16 PM
Comment #24Here is my fantasy scenario: Newcastle absolutely tonk Spurs on Wednesday in the cup leading to the dismissal of Ramos. Poyet gets the Spurs job and Wise goes to work with him. Ashley is let off the hook by Wise going, sees the light keeps Newcastle brings back Keegan and its onwards and upwards.
The Entertainers
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #25One thing i do know, anyone coming in can surely only improve us.
I have never, i mean never felt this low!
Bring on the Nigerians, the Indians, the Arabs….i dont care at this point.
Because the way we’re going we wont get a new manager and no money and no PL soon.
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #26Well one part of that would work Spitfire, Wise going would mean no pay off from Ashley or whoever buys the club.
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Comment #27Simon it is a possibility, but can’t see any self respecting billionaire falling for it. Unless they are stupid enough to not to do due dilligence etc etc.
Spyro
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Comment #28I would be happy with that Spitfire, well apart from the part where KK returns. I don’t want a coward at the helm.
Ganiyu
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #29Tomb-hope zog is not going to spurs?i av a good replacement and thats culio
Nick 69
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #30spitfire- ther is no way back for ashley now, its gone too far and he will never been welcomed back, even if he brought keegan back it wudnt make that much of a difference because as far as im concerned its more about not wanting ashley at the club thn wanting keegan as manager
King Kev Foreva
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #31Don’t trust Nigerians… Lived there for 13 years and I just would not be happy if we went down that path… no trust in em what so ever…
humberto gonzales
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #32Why doesn’t Michael Owen speak out for the players, he could come out and say if the lads want KK to return? he’s got the ball in his court at the moment and has nowt to lose coz chances are he’ll be away in Jan anyway. I would doubt if MA would reprimand him as he’s 1 of the only assets left at the club. waddya think
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #33Still cant see why so many support Ashley. Yes he’s paid off some debt but not all of it like he once said I seem to recall him saying “this is the only club that doesn’t owe a penny to anybody” yet all of a sudden he says there still is debt.
I’m not saying he had to pay it all off, clubs should be able to do that themselves over time and for his sake he can get out of it what he put in. But as for the club, he’s turned it into a hopless mess. His structure has failed and only one manager in England has said he would be willing to work under it and that would be southgate. We are sinking and fast and thats down to Ashley. Before anybody jumps in and says Keegan left us and thats the problem, he went on priciple because of Ashley as he is the PROBLEM!
simon376
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #34Know where you are coming from tom, just all seems a bit strange
Nick 69
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #35spyro- mike ashley is a coward tho
tom tomb
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:25 PM
Comment #36Ganiyu- The Argentinian or the rapper?
Ganiyu
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:25 PM
Comment #37Kk forever where in nigeria?
KK Forever
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Comment #38“Kk forever where in nigeria?”
Bombay
nufc supporter
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Comment #39GREAT!!!!!! JUST WHT WE NEED, ANOTHER PERSON FROM LONDON RUNNING PART OF OUR CLUB!!!!
Alex
Sep 22, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Comment #40Spitfire Get real mate Ashley seeing the light , Never . Now us tonking the spuds yes that would cheer every one of us up . With Oba back and these rumours that we could be took over soon may well lift the players and we give them the usual hammering 🙂