We’ve read a few reports about Mike Ashley’s sale of £100M when he recently sold 25M of shares of Sports Direct – the company he founded back in the 1980s.
Mike Ashley – sold £100M of Sports Direct stock recently
We issued the report on that yesterday, and a number of the later reports seem to suggest that it could be something to do with investing in Newcastle United, but we’d be very surprised if that is the case.
You have to remember that Mike’s money is completely separate from the Newcastle United Football club business accounts, and the only way Mike has “invested” his own money into the club is by loaning Newcastle around £130M – and it’s a zero interest loan – so Newcastle are saving on the interest they were paying when Ashley took over the club – and at a 5% interest rate, that’s around £6.5M every year – there’s a good player right there every season.
That loan money will need to be paid back at some point, but since the owner has said he doesn’t need to be paid back anytime soon, we assume that when he eventually sells Newcastle, whenever that is, it will be part of the total transaction of selling the club, and he’ll get his money back at that time.
We certainly don’t need money for players this summer, since Newcastle only need to bring in a couple of good players.
But of course there is always that St. James’ Park expansion we talked about a few years back, which was to increase the total seating capacity up to 60,000 at the stadium – and at some point that’s got to be one of the steps to make Newcastle into a top English and European football club – and of course it increases our match-day revenues too.
But before that happens we need to be doing consistently well in the Premier League, so we can fill the extra 8,000 places at each home game.
We’re sure Mike’s sale of some of hi stock is nothing to do with Newcastle United Football club – and it’s probably nothing more than Mike diversifying his investments away from Sports Direct.
But there again, we’ve been wrong before ………
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
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116 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:41 PM
Comment #1Asking for no gherkins in his double quarter pounder and the sales person thinking he sai loads of gherkins is too good for Ashley .
saxonfenken
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:43 PM
Comment #2To all you Ashley haters, we would be in a right mess without him
Jail for Ashley
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:45 PM
Comment #3Saxonfenken,
Prove it !
yo-yo
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:46 PM
Comment #4JfA
Hmmm But Mashley loves gherkins.
Bills-son
The only flaw in your argument in stability and in terms of holding on to players is if they want to move to win something. Reckon AP is a good man manager and keeps the guys happy at their work so it would have to be ambition (or homesickness 🙁 ) So players will still leave from time to time
Tsunki
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:46 PM
Comment #5Hear that Jail? You and your gherkim- related misery are not welcome not on this burger stand oh no 🙂
WWYCD
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:49 PM
Comment #6JfA
Haha u tell em sir
Tsunki
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:51 PM
Comment #7There’s no link between me selling my bmi miles on ebay and buying a new 3d projector for the attic either.
Dammit. 🙁
veto
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:58 PM
Comment #8love to see st james’ extended in my lifetime
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:01 PM
Comment #9Can we debate Brendan (Hard Case) Rodgers sacking at the end of the season ?
IF its out there it might become fact.
Tsunki
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:01 PM
Comment #10I’d love to see my lifetime extended. That would also be cool.
Tsunki
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:02 PM
Comment #11Online – I believe there is a junior hack at the Star typing that one up at this very moment. The seed is already germinating…
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:14 PM
Comment #12HI Tsunki
My comment on Rodgers was provoked by ED’s Last Page on HBA ..I wont go any further than to say ..If we debate crap from a Spanish Comic, It’s out there and can gather pace …
So lets debate Rodgers leaving Pool…
BTW .. that passive aggressiveness shown by Rodgers makes me puke ..I think he’s a Nutter to put it Bluntly ..Did you see that Stupid Envelope stunt he Pulled in the Liverpool Dressing room ? Gerrard was observing ..looking like thunder…..gossip gossip …
I see Rodgers is to be sacked by Liverpool ..
Just thought I’d repeat that ..Read it in the Star… Later.
nufc13789
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:16 PM
Comment #13Huth is banned for the Newcastle game.
MacToon
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:17 PM
Comment #14Online, Rodgers will defo be gone this summer along with Suárez 😉
It wouldn’t surprise me if Ashley got more involved in Rangers in the future but that would probably mean selling us and taking the experince he’s gained here with him. Interesting to see Ashley and Llambias (? for some reason) meeting with Rangers fans about renaming their stadium.
Where’s DI Belfast indeed……….
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:18 PM
Comment #15RE: the Virgin Sponsorship …Thinking that Virgin is a world wide brand and maybe it was not good commercial practice to have a name emblazoned around the ground that is bigger and more established than Sports Dickrect..
Wonder if Ashley practices Industrial Espionage ?
beefman13
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:28 PM
Comment #16Jail, if MA had of chucked the towel in when we were relegated, there would have been a massive chance we would have went in to administration, he stuck by his investment, a lot of other owners would have pulled the plug, a big list of these including the pompey lot, look at them now and the others we all know about.
400 international caps in that team and a huge wage bill was not enough to keep us up. i wont blame him for that.
And as for me being two faced Mr Burns, i did say it was a big deal last season what everyone including the manager did, this season apart from the last few games have been my most uncomfortable for a long long time watching us injuries or not, i gave him plaudits last season, he is going to have to earn them from now on game on game.
Rake
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:33 PM
Comment #17Huth – 3 game ban
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21591518
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:38 PM
Comment #18Mactoon
Liverpool are the most Arrogant Club.. ..god’s gift to Football..Patron saint’s to Crowd trouble (Heysel) Shhh, Don’t mention it ..It’s never mentioned when they discuss the other Catastrophe is it ?. I find that really.Strange …They took no part in either ..So they had nothing to do with any of it ,,none of them are guilty of nothing. They where not even there .. What’s that ? Oh I see …..Selective memory syndrome . RIP .
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:46 PM
Comment #19Wonder ..Are you canny lot aware ..When Liverpool Play Man Utd there is always wicked trouble ..slashings and stabbings and general run of the mill (for that lot) Kicking’s dished out ..And it’s never reported on !. The Media hide it
If a Newcastle fan Sneezes in the wrong direction , .you know the story..
MacToon
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:49 PM
Comment #20I hear what you’re saying Online but alot of innocent people needlessly lost their lives and to think it was over a game of football!
however it’s nailed on that Rodgers and Suárez will be leaving them 😉
dembademba
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:50 PM
Comment #21No way he’l go n focus more on rangers. Similarly sized clubs yet he’s got a lot more chance of making money, headlines, having fun etc with us. He saw an opportunity and went for it, makes sense, helps rangers to get back up on their feet n do a good bit of business in the process.
I’m not his biggest fan but I bet he loves his life I bet its awesome, jfa is funny but people who seriously hate Ashley are a bit stupid and a bit jealous, I’m a bit jealous.. id love his life
Pardews Parsnip Bonce
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:54 PM
Comment #22@online the Liverpool fans are saints! how dare you talk crap like this hiding behind your monitor! coward!
oh….. wait….. i detest the arrogant sum suckers.
i retract my abuse
saxonfenken
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:55 PM
Comment #23beefman13
We were in a mess when Ashley bought the club as well. With huge debts, he cleared them.
and I agree about the football last season and beginning of this. I have many saved matches from last year and apart form about three games we were not very convincing. I also have five of the last six games and at last we are playing like the top teams. I also believe we will get better as the season goes on.
I am looking forward to next season with real hope for the first time in many years.
dembademba
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:59 PM
Comment #24It’s funny to have a go at the scouse c#&%$ but bein serious I know a few n they love their football passionately, its ingrained in them as it is in us. they were very successful, if we had that level of success we wouldn’t shut up about it, u just got to accept that you’re never gonna have it all your way and most of them do but u do get retarded scousers who ate idiots n believe they belong at the top and nowhere else. You reap what you sew. Do the right things n you’l be rewarded. Ashleys starting to do the right things. If Liverpool stick by Rodgers that too would prob be the right thing n they’l get better.
The uneven distribution of wealth is annoying as hell tho, ffp to kick in soon please!
Tsunki
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:59 PM
Comment #25I agree I am not even (dont hurt me) that worried about EL as I know we wont win it, and this season we are fairly safe, its NEXT season I am looking forward to. Providing the hawks dont descend for our decent players I think pre-season will make fr interesting following.
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Comment #26Manxpie
If your reading this ..that mate of mine on the island is
Colin Ballely Searl…He works at what I thought to be the Uni, but possibly College on the island ? I think he is now a professor .. And teaches, amongst other things, Electronic’s.
He has a full A- class radio Licence ..Like meself.. He is a great Bloke. I Can never spell his middle name !
BTW ..How are the Sheep doing ?
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:07 PM
Comment #27Mactoon ..Yes RIP to Liverpool fans that were lost ..It all went bad at Heysel too..It just seems strange to me that they share none of the blame..and refuse to . Sympathies with the Lost one’s . and their Families. however dont want to get too profound so will tell a story in favour of pool fans next..
Boban Ohio
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:11 PM
Comment #28Hey all. I have spent hours upon hours on this blog so decided to finally contribute! My first post is about the beast Sissoko. Six games played: three goals scored, three assists ( including winning the penalty against Metalist – should have had an assist in the home game with Metalist too), cost two million pounds. Says it all!!!
Mister Tuff
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:24 PM
Comment #29Getting back to the fixtures for this weekend I think our away game on Saturday at Swansea is probably the trickiest to call. The other relevant fixtures at the bottom end on Saturday are :-
Everton v Reading
Soton v QPR
Wigan v Liverpool
and on Monday:-
Villa v Man City.
I cannot see Reading, QPR, Wigan or Villa getting any points over the weekend. Hopefully if we play well, bearing in mind all the internationals we have, we could get something out of the game and draw further away from the likely relegation candidates.
Slightly different point re Jonas -somebody posted the other day about how stop/start our game is with all the free kicks -then the attack breaks down thus allowing the opposition to get/back organise.
This is an true aspect of his play -Jonas is probably the best in the league for shielding the ball against an opposition player -knows the art of getting his body in between the ball and the opponent and usually draws a foul. If this aspect of play was during a period when the opposition were coming forward all well and good – but when we are on the attack it does normally stop the game/our momentum -and bearing in mind our poor returns from dead ball situations -gives the opposition the ball back again.
ONLINE GUY
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:27 PM
Comment #30Following Newcastle in the 70’s was an adventure …Say a midweek game at White heart lane or Highbury ..We always thumbed lifts back then ..up and down the old A1…We would have no sleep for 2 days ..getting back for work after travelling through the night …rare times we would get a lift on one of the coaches going back home ..but more often than not we would be thumbing lifts up the motorway..I love that old A1 ! One Particular night coming back from a Newcastle Spurs game about midnight we were at the Watford Gap hotel ..Birmingham City pulled up in their coach, out stepped Bert Head (Gaffa)..Trevor Francis etc ..First division just like us …They looked wrecked ..I was Talking to Bert and He asked us how our lot got on …Trevor and the lads just Bu***ed off and ignored us, but the manager Chatted ..Then a few Liverpool coaches full of Scousers pulled in ..Dozens of Skinheads piling off…Docs on , full regalia ..Seeing we were Mags they got chatting ..Sat with them in the Cafe.. Now if you know Scousers they dont pay for something if it can be got for free ..After telling them we were skint and starving they cleaned the Front of the kitchen out ,,and were stuffing pies in our pockets ..making certain we would not go hungry ..They would do anything to help you and were always our best mates going and coming back from away games..
I travelled in the back of a closed van with about 12 of them one night … Spanky and me ..
.RIP Spanky…..Playing cards, sharing tabs ..Great memories, the Scousers really looked after us. Happy daze.
Big Pappa Cissé
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:28 PM
Comment #31Should be a good game between Bayern and Dortmund if anyone has ESPN. Love me a bit of German footy like 🙂
Jail for Ashley
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:32 PM
Comment #32Beefman,
You’ve got more faces than Worzel Gummidge !
Jail for Ashley
Feb 27, 2013 at 7:47 PM
Comment #33Beefman,
What do you mean if he had of pulled the plug, if he had somebody would have bought us for a song and who knows what may have happened, as it turns out I’m starting to think that the club is being run right only for the fact that the players seem to be happy even though I’m stilled puzzled as to why having a boss like Dirk Dastardly, I’m not going to start singing Ashleys praises as he badly badly let us down last summer allowing Spurs to advance three seasons on us to name one f#€ k up and I’m still not convinced about people citing ambition for his 11M spend (net) or whether it was a 7/1 gamble on the reported 70M windfall next season, not bad odds considering he knocked back investing 11M on the 4/1 CL money.
check the toastie
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:09 PM
Comment #34Think the club is currently ran as well as its ever been as a safe business model, however Ashleys ambition and dreams dont meet those of Sir John or the Late Jack Walker, however times have changed, Ashley cannot compete with the megamillionaires and is setting the club up for the near future in a super way.
My only gripe is that he wont invest in a real top manager, once we have one of those in charge then the current squad and squads that develop over the next few years will compete at the top level and play attractive football that we could have of dreamed of under Fat Fred.
If only Sir Bobby wanted to come home now, wow we would be right up there with the Mancs for me, what he did with that first team squad was a miracle. Front six of Robert, Dyer, Speed, Solano, Bellemy and Shearer, we will score more than you attitude, and gave his players belief. Pardew puts a straightjacket on most.
Ian Toon
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:16 PM
Comment #35JFA- To quote Llambias who was quoting Elvis
Costello ” Clowntime is over”.
Mr Tuff- Ditto.
danishmag
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:17 PM
Comment #36hey..
any news on Tim Krul?
How long is he out?
toonLYF
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:30 PM
Comment #37Gameiro playing for PSG against Marseille. Would still love to see him here in a loan deal or something, if possible of course. Beckham playing also.
http://www.viplivesports.eu/football/139458/3/coupe-de-france:-paris-saint-germain-vs-olympique-marseille-live-stream-online.html
Jail for Ashley
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:34 PM
Comment #38Ian Toon,
Why do you think this Pushy Pardew keeps bigging you up randomly out of the blue,
To quote Virgil,
“A fault is fostered by concealment”
toonincheek
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:37 PM
Comment #39Rangers to be an opportunity for some of our younsters to harden up?
Jail for Ashley
Feb 27, 2013 at 8:47 PM
Comment #40Check,
Do you think its just a coincidence that since the new players were brought in we have played six, won four drew one lost one, coming from behind twice for the first time since Pards got here, our first away win of the season and scoring four for the first time or should we have been doing that all season sitting in third with our tired injury ravaged and disillusioned squad.