The former Newcastle United chairman has said he has already been approached by two businessmen on the possibility of returning to a position at the Newcastle United Football Club.
Freddy Shepherd – already approached by two businessmen
It appears from the interview Freddy gave on Sunday that he has not ruled out taking back the reins of power from owner Mike Ashley.
Once Mike sells the club, the new owners will need to appoint a new manager and a new Chairman. It’s looking like most of the consortiums that have been mentioned would like to bring back Kevin Keegan as manager, which is really what a large percentage of Newcastle fans want.
It would also ensure the side can get back quickly to their old form, and the system that Kevin was using, and if that happens quickly, maybe this season will not be lost to mediocrity.
Speaking at the weekend, Freddy Shepherd said a true fan needed to be at the club’s helm.
Freddy said over the weekend:
“If I came back to the club, it would depend on who and what and the structure in place, but I’m open to suggestions. I just want what’s best for the club.”
“I want to see a fan in charge. I have already been approached by two businessmen.” “I think anybody who considers buying the club would have to keep the door open for Kevin.”
“It would keep the fans happy and, at the end of the day, the fans are the club.”
There’s no doubt Freddy is a real fan of the club, and just like the rest of us who were brought up on the streets of Byker and Walker worshiping the club – Newcastle daft through and through!
But Freddy hardly ran the club well, from a business viewpoint, and at least Mike Ashley and his people have come in and put the club on a much stronger financial footing, and it would be wrong not to keep running the club as a good business.
That just has to be done, because that’s what Newcastle is right now – a global business with a growing global brand name.
But it would also be important to have a Chairman who could work well with Kevin Keagan and be straight with him, which obviously a certain Derek Llambias has not been by all accounts.
Arthur Cox is also a possibility, as he’s a real football man, and thinks the same way as his protégée Kevin Keegan. We don’t know how much business acumen Arthur has, but if indeed Kevin does become manager again, we’d just love for Arthur to come back.
Arthur left the club a few weeks before Kevin, under mysterious circumstances, and it seems possible he walked away just before Kevin, because he saw the double cross on Kevin coming.
Comments welcome.
62 comments so far
Ben-Toon
Sep 23, 2008 at 2:29 PM
Comment #41Micky Toon
you forgot spuggy as secretary
seetow
Sep 23, 2008 at 2:36 PM
Comment #42and ben, he’s awfully polite!
regards,
seetow
Bill F
Sep 23, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Comment #43I suspect that King Kevin Keegan may not be back as his initials have a certain connotation to them. 😉
Toon Chicken
Sep 23, 2008 at 3:19 PM
Comment #44I think this whole “we’re a a local club run by local people” attitude has been holding us back for years.
Football is big, global business now.
We don’t need a load of Geordies running the show – we need the best people in the world. If some of those happen to be Geordies then great, but let’s not overlook the most intelligent, talented and qualified people just cos they weren’t born round here.
Yes we need the people in charge to have a passion for NUFC and a desire to succeed, but that isn’t necessarily exclusive to those who hold Geordie passports.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – THERE IS NO ROOM FOR SENTIMENTALITY IN FOOTBALL ANYMORE.
Micky Toon
Sep 23, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Comment #45Toon Chicken, talking sense again. No doubt someone will be along to call him an Ashley bum boy, question where he is from and call him gay.
bowburnmag
Sep 23, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Comment #46Toon Chicken – where you from you gay Ashley bum boy? Probably not tha Toon eh? Otherwise you’d understand.
HATE PRAWN SANDWICHES
Sep 23, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Comment #47Toon Chicken – I must agree! with comment (44)
bowburnmag
Sep 23, 2008 at 4:10 PM
Comment #48Ok, so seriously….does anyone really believe a Byker Grove ethos is the way forward? Auf Weidersen Pet, if you do. If only because it really is being sentimentally daft. Surely, what most of us are looking for are astute businessmen to help run the business and a clued-up football men to run the football club? If they happen not to be Geordies by birth then they just become adopted Geordies. Of course, I’m being facetious. What I mean is, all business heads need to understand their customers. I’d be happy with people running the club being slightly closer to home on a more regular basis. That doesn’t mean they need to sit in the stands with us or buy us beers. Just have the people running the club on hand to sort sh*t out when required. I know that’s how the businesses I’ve worked for operate.
Toon Chicken
Sep 23, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Comment #49bowburnmag – haha – I was waiting for some joker to come back with that after Mickey’s comment. 😉
glad to see this whole carry on hasn’t affected your sense of humour. 🙂
HPS – just picked meself back up off the floor after seeing you agreed with something I said! 🙂
Oh and bowburn – definitely agree – whoever buys the club and wherever they are from they have to understand that SJP is head office and therefore it is a must that the chairman, board of directors, tea lady and all the rest of the important people work from there on a full time basis.
Stamford Toon
Sep 23, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Comment #50Sheperd is just trying to stir up trouble. He must know how many fans dislike him!
magpie6699
Sep 23, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Comment #51Not that it would happen now, but I agree that someone like David Dein would be great. Has the experience and track record and I think the players respected him at Arsenal?
Geordie Jayne
Sep 23, 2008 at 5:53 PM
Comment #52Ericles – Can I be Chairlady and then I can come on here and ask you all for advice lol
Geordie Jayne
Sep 23, 2008 at 5:54 PM
Comment #53Stamford Toon – The interview was on Sky and he was actually asked would you come back and he said you never know in football its strange…..but I think it was tongue in cheek as he knows he stands NEEEEEEEE chance with us lot
GEORDIE
Sep 23, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Comment #54please god no fat fred back at the toon.
Alex
Sep 23, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Comment #55Bob Moncur as chairman would be good .He is Newcastle United through & through , knows about football , Knows how to handle the media & has a business brain .
GeordieDeb
Sep 23, 2008 at 7:38 PM
Comment #56Toon chicken – for once I agree with him. We need the best people running the club wherever they are from. As long as they do the job well, communicate with the manager and the fans, have good business savvy to run a multi million pound business, understand football, make a known transfer budget available and support the managers decisions I will be very happy – but please god no return of FFS who doesn’t fit half those criteria
toonfan67
Sep 24, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Comment #57ED HARRISON sorry for the bombardment mate , but i feel very strongly about this mate…you have my mail right so plz do drop me a line Re; your stance on the http://www.savenewcastle.com site.
many thanx ED
sorry to interrupt your chat peeps however this is IMPORTANT just posted this on my local paper…Evening Chronicle…NUFC forum….it would be great if you could plz, take a few mins to read this, and then you might wanna get involved.
were black and white right….so global fans plz do get involved here…its under the thread
“MAD PETE” genius or just bonkers?
well im on the side that turns up trumps….lol and im backing this hand…lol
and if im willing to pledge….pledge, let me repeat that again, pledge, some sort of support, from the 25 quid per yr membership to the thousand pound PLEDGE for a voting stakeholder. and get a fan based vote on the ACTUAL running of my club, well its blooming un blooming believable
the man has bent over backwards on this forum…reading between the lines is arbituary but come on, there’s some big people that have been conspicuous by their absence of comments on this shituation… reading between the lines etc come on…the 80 odd million pledge etc…this concept WILL be popular.
so please put aside any conceptions or opinions you have on this subject, and just give the bloke a fair hearing … just take ten minutes out to read through the website….www.SaveNewcastle.com
and if you have been following this mans postings on this site then just take out ten mins, and mull over your thoughts.pick out phrases that this guy has posted…if you could forget the instant noodle snax attack for a moment, now that food analogy is a good one…imo and look at the mid-long term outlook for this development, then i hope you join this “once inna lifetime” opportunity. coz if it works ….
well that’s the stuff of dreams peeps…
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Posts: 212
PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:44 pm Post subject: Report this post Reply with quote
Thank you Johhny for your belief. There are many things afoot that will prove those who believe right and encourage those who doubt to change their minds.
We have a vision that is beautifully simple and eminently workable. Yes, my postings have been evasive, but as this unravels, I promise you will understand why. We have massive potential with this club and we are truly loved by people outside of football. A very famous person phoned me today and said that she wasn’t a fan, not even a fan of football, but she just loved Newcastle and the people and was pledging her support!
We will wheel all these celebrities and stars out when the launch event goes ahead. We are waiting clearance on a legal structural issue (based on the fans owning the club) and then the fun will begin.
Please pledge your support because if you can’t be bothered who else will?
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pollypeterborough
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Posts: 873
Location: never. never. land.
PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:54 pm Post subject: Report this post Reply with quote
MadPete wrote:
all ready have pledge my support, madpete. i am a dream’r hope it works out in the end.P.S. madpete if i say pledge £20.000 would it die with me or could i pass it on to my son.Just asking. polly.
toonfan67
Sep 24, 2008 at 12:57 AM
Comment #58Contribute
If you are interested in contributing to the Save Newcastle project please send us an email. Below is a lists of ways you can contribute to this project. The most important way you can support us is by spreading the word about our vision. That may be simply telling your friends, every little bit makes a difference. We sincerely appreciate your support.
Due to an overwhelming response that we are still sorting through we have temporarily removed the list of areas that we need support in. However, below we have listed some of the biggest ways you can contribute now.
* Register your support at this website.
* Join one of our two unofficial Facebook groups HERE and HERE.
* Tell everyone you know about our project.
* Write an article about our project on your blog or newsletter.
* Post flyers at your University, School, Community Center, etc.
* Talk about our project on online forums.
* Research supporter owned clubs and the topic of supporter ownership.
* Basically spread the word in any way you can think of, use your imagination and unique skills.
If you are interested in helping please send us an email at contribute@savenewcastle.com. Please list your relevant work experience along with how you would like to contribute in your email.
We sincerely appreciate your support.
WE APOLOGIZE FOR OUR SLOW RESPONSE TO YOUR EMAILS. We will respond as soon as possible
clinta
Sep 24, 2008 at 2:40 AM
Comment #59‘a global business with a growing global brand name.’
please ed, are you sure about this? lets face it we haven’t played much decent football at all since sir bobby was sacked, and haven’t one anything.
success and good entertaining football is what sells a football team to the outside world.
2 things we’ve had none of for a very long time, so i wouldn’t say the club is growing, and if it is that would just be purely opn the back of the premier league itself reaching further.
graeme
Sep 24, 2008 at 7:53 AM
Comment #60One thing is for certain, NUFC are known world-wide, you want to see the black & white shirts worn in Lagos, Hong Kong, Beijing etc.
Fat Freddy has had his chance and sorry to say it, so has Keegan. Ashley brought him in to get himself out of the crisis of sacking BSA with NO replacement lined up and he had no plan B either.
Its time to move on; new owners, clean sheet, ditch the baggage and start again. The club needs a succesful Football Manager who knows how a club is run properly, If the Owner doesnt know how to do it then employ the best man available and that isnt Kevin Keegan, unfortunately. He is a brilliant motivator but not able to run a club.
It needs to be sorted asap to get our once great club back to where it was 50 years ago, when we won 3 FA cups in 4 years. Apart from the 1969 cup we have achieved absolutely nothing since.
Ian
Sep 24, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Comment #61Graeme, are you sure Ashley has a plan A???
graeme
Sep 24, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Comment #62No mate, not at all. BUT, as he owns the club he IS plan A.
The problem is, it sucks as well!!!!