Mike Ashley has issued an official statement this morning, on the official Newcastle United Web Site, that he has tried to sell the famous Tyneside club but couldn’t, and is now committed to moving the club forward and will continue to be the owner of Newcastle United Football Club.
Mike Ashley will remain owner of Newcastle United
Mike Ashley, Owner of Newcastle United Football Club, today announced the football club has been taken off the market.
Speaking in the club’s match day magazine he announced today’s news and that he was again committing to the Newcastle club as its Owner.
Mike Ashley has decided to end the current uncertainty now, to allow the club to continue to progress under the new management team led by Joe Kinnear.
There’s no doubt that Joe has helped to heal the club since September, both on and off the field, and we just hope he can continue to take the club up the league, and make us a successful team again.
Here’s Mike’s official statement:
Mike Ashley, Owner of Newcastle Football Club, said:
“I am happy to end the uncertainty fans may have had about the future direction of Newcastle United.”
“I know just how important that is to you.”
“I have withdrawn Newcastle United from the market, and for me 2009 will be the year in which we drive the Club forward together.”
“Even when I haven’t been at games I have remained a keen supporter, kicking and heading every ball and cheering the team on TV and being the first to congratulate Joe whenever there’s a good result.”
“When I took the decision to put the Club up for sale in September I made a point of saying two things were very important.”
“Firstly, any potential buyer would have to show they had the best interests of Newcastle United at heart and had both the commitment and finance to be worthy custodians of such a fine football club before I would even consider doing a deal.”
“And secondly, I gave you my word that as long as I remain owner, this Club would continue to be run responsibly at all levels. I hope you will accept that I have stood by that pledge.”
This is hardly a surprise now, since it’s been on the cards since Mike was unable to sell the club, mainly because of the world economic collapse.
But he still has some work to do, and if Mike can bring in Chris Mort as Chairman again, that will go a long way to calming the fans down.
In fact we think if Chris had never left then Kevin Keegan would still be manager, but that’s water under the bridge now, and the last few months have been awful for everybody concerned at the club.
Chris did a great job while at the club, and he put both a professional and compassionate face on the club, as he had the Newcastle club doing much for the local community, and his idea were generally spot on. And he went out of his way to listen to what fans wanted.
This also has to be good news for current manager Joe Kinnear, but we will need to start winning games again, after the disappointment of Boxing Day, although it was one of those games when everything seemed to go against us.
It just so happens we have a chance today at noon to put things right on that score, when we take on Liverpool, who are the League leaders at the moment. That would make a win extra special.
The club had to get itself sorted out soon, at least for the players that haven’t yet signed new contracts, and at least Michael Owen will now know that Ashley will remain as owner, and Joe Kinnear will likely remain the manager even past this season, if he performs well enough through May.
Now the next thing, apart form beating Liverpool this afternoon, is to strengthen the squad in January with 5 good players.
If we can do that, we should more than a decent squad again.
Howay The Lads!!
54 comments so far
craig
Dec 28, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Comment #41hope we get a top class manger in the summer come on mike ashley put your hand in your pocket come on the toon
Yeomsta
Dec 28, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Comment #42he said he will spend no more than £20mill a season HIS WORDS, THAT WONT CHANGE!! in this premiership climate that sin’t enough. This is the main sticking point and WE CANT MOVE FORWARD with that little injection of cash into players. I dont want us to spend like a man city or a chelsea but clubs like villa are gonna leave us in their dust. its all well and good saying arsenal did it with youngsters but they did it with a reputation as a top club and on top of a solid foundation. I support newcastle now and i always will, but today is the day that my hope for better things dies. i’m content with medriocrity now and expect no more than that.
valle
Dec 28, 2008 at 1:43 PM
Comment #43As i write this, NUFC are being beaten at home by Liverpool. A good team they might be, but not 10 years ago a team that was below us in the league. Today, we are nowhere near Liverpool, and with our current squad, manager and owner, we wont be in the future either. I have always defended our status as a big team against the likes of spurs, but we arent are we? not that spurs are, they are worse than us.
Squad…
Defense… Beye, Enrique, Bassong can be a base to build on. Cacapa, Taylor and Collocini simply arent good enough.
Midfield… Only Duff and Jonas are good enough here, we are lightyears away from having a good enough midfield.
Attack… Only Martins and Owen are good enough and Owen will soon leave for free.
Manager… He has heart, but he simply isnt a Bobby Robson who is needed now.
Owner… He will run us into the ground, he wont spend, and he has finances at heart.
verdict… The future is as black as i can remember since we got promoted.
Dr. Zelig
Dec 28, 2008 at 2:50 PM
Comment #44valle i agree with your verdict on the team exept for Collocini who is great with Bassong in the center. However you should mention that this assesment is who is good enough for a newcastle team aiming for top 4 status.
For a middleposition we only need a couple of signings as we still have a better team then Fulham and Hull.
I wrote on this blog, before the season startet, that we would be fighting against relegation. Everybody else called me crazy. Now I do not think relegation is going to happen but we will need to fight.
As for Ashley staying I belive it is logical because of the worlds financial meltdown. It is a bad time to be a seller, and there are not many if any buyers whith any spare cash.
royrjmk
Dec 28, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Comment #45This should mean stability for the club at last which is badly needed so that we can now hopefully move forward. It should also mean he should now put some much needed investment into the club. Like others I hope he can at the very least try to bring Chris Mort back to front the club. With regards to the “supporters club spokesman” those type of comments are certainly not helpfull.
DAVCON22
Dec 28, 2008 at 5:04 PM
Comment #46I can’t believe some off the stuff said about MA,does anyone know of anyone who has put 260 million pound of there own money in to this club,and to fair with very little chance of getting any of it back.
Yes the bloke has made mistakes,but for christs sake get agrip ,and start backing the man,
Of he wants Newcastle to do well,he’d be insane not to,and he needs our support for that to happen.
And another thing ,all this started when Keegan left,a man who’s pride was more important than club,not for the first time.
My opinion,for what its worth.
haaaaway
Dec 28, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Comment #47our defense is rock solid when fit, but we have no depth. If we can sort out defense, and bring in a CM and maybe a striker we will be sorted. Let dukes, ameobi go, keep owen, martins, xisco, and carroll, and bring in one more good strong striker. One more winger would be nice too, we are ok with duff, zog, and guti on the wings, but we need another just in case. Priority is full backs though. Maybe another CB of Bassong’s age and quality.
GeordieJayne
Dec 28, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Comment #48Bill comment 15 – I am in total agreement with you on Cashley stayding and the timing….Sir Bobby’s day.
If we are very bvery lucky we will be fighting to stay in the premiership every season if unlucky we will be in the championship. Thanks Mr Cashley I rue the day you came.
One thing is for sure the demo’s against Cashley ain’t over I can guarantee that will this fool and his two side kicks who dont have a goddamn clue.
haaaaway
Dec 28, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Comment #49Also, if we can string together 3-4 wins we might be in europe contention places, so don’t right the season off yet. We buy the right players and we can do well. The 20 mill ash put into the team over the summer seem to be out performing the 100 mill of dross that was already there. Let’s face it, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Coloccini, and Bassong have changed the nature of our team. We already knew Beye was great, and Enrique was improving. With some depth that defense allows our wings to move the ball forward, which has changed the nature of the game.
haaaaway
Dec 28, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Comment #50GeordieJayne – rue the day, why? we are no worse than before Ashley bought the club when we finished 14th followed by 7th followed by 13th. We finished 12th last year, and are bouncing between 12th and 18th right now, but with a little luck and momentum, plus some tranfers, we could easily put together a couple of results and be in the top 10. Remember the last 3 years of FFS? When he sacked SBR, and brought in Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce???? At least Ashley has only appointed managers who have the intent to play free flowing attacking football.
Rich
Dec 28, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Comment #51MARTINS OWEN
NZOGBIA GUTHRIE BARTON GUTIERREZ
ENRIQUE BASSONG COLOCCINI BEYE
GIVEN
blitziouz
Dec 28, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Comment #52this was his plan all along to make it look like we forgot about keegan. he isint gunna spend a penny in january id be suprised if he released the millner money
Davey
Dec 28, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Comment #53Treat like fools, it was so evident that a sale was never going to be on the cards!!!!
Do I really want a guy who plays the fans in charger of my club = NO!!
Call me what you want, i’m finished, i’m off to watch Newcastle Blue Star instead!!
tommo
Dec 28, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Comment #54I think in the end Ashley will be good for the club, but he needed a good kick up the arse to see that the london mafia is not the way , and who better thanthe toon army to give him that .No other club supporters would affect there club as the toon army did GOOD ON YA LADS