Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has added £550M to his wealth over the last year, and he is now worth £2.3B, according to the annual Sunday Times Rich List, which will be published this Sunday.
Mike Ashley – now worth £2.3B
Mike continues to be the richest man in the North-East, and of course his company Sports Direct, has been returning record profits over the last year, and he has profited from the increase in the shares of the company.
Another north-east football man on the list in the north-east is Middlesbrough Chairman Steve Gibson, whose personal wealth has fallen £20M, and Steve is now worth (only) £145M. Steve owns his own transport business.
Mike Ashley did everything wrong at Newcastle in his first two years, after he took over in the summer of 2007, and Newcastle were relegated in May of 2009.
But since that time Newcastle have been put on an excellent financial footing, and we did very well last season to finish 5th in the Premier League, the highest position since the great Bobby Robson was manager back in 2004.
But this season, due in large part to not having a big enough or good enough squad, and playing 14 extra games in Europe, Newcastle have struggled in the Premier League, but reached the quarter finals of the Europa League for the first time since 2005.
Forbes magazine will report on 9th May that Newcastle United are now are the 20th most valuable club in the world, and are valued at £172M, which is up 9% year over year.
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69 comments so far
Mark the Mag
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:14 AM
Comment #1All that money and he can’t afford a personal trainer fat b@#$ard, get your hand in your pocket get us some players or leave our club alone u cockney sc#um bag
Beattie25
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:15 AM
Comment #2Here is a new Pardew quote that you all might like. I’ll post it and allow you to discuss.
Pardew was asked if he had enough up front and that it was possible to substitute Papiss if Cisse was having an off game:
“Of course it is possible to substitute Papiss.
I have got Shola and Adam Campbell breathing down his neck, that is the competition he has with Hatem coming back.”
Deluded or what??
p
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:16 AM
Comment #3That’s a bit strong Mark. I think you need to talk through your anger with someone. A whore for example.
Beattie25
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:19 AM
Comment #4Also this is Pardew after being asked about finishing above Sunderland:
“Next year we have to prove that we’re a bigger and better club.
That is in terms of our Premier League position by finishing well above them (Sunderland).
That is what we we are going to try and do next year.”
So the target for next season is to finish above Sunderland.
Brilliant! Is he not thinking we can do it this? Is that considered an achievement now?
p
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:19 AM
Comment #5I disagree with Ed, I think the team as just had a bad season. Some factors have contributed but the form and tactics have been crap. With Hatem to bail us out of jail.
Beattie25
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:22 AM
Comment #6Also here is a comment from Pardew from recently:
‘We’re going all out to win the Europa League’
We didn’t so in the press conference before Sunderland he said:
‘Let’s target 10th place’
After the Sunderland defeat he said:
‘We’ll try to finish above them next season.’
WOW
Mark the Mag
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:25 AM
Comment #7He is using our club and ground/home as his cheap advertisement, can’t wait to see a crow bar pull sports dir#$t signs off our ground our home our temple just like he did to our st James park signs. He has humiliated us and treat us like dirt and we have done nothing about it. Spent net 3 mill in summer and only spent in Jan to try and stop relegation. This guy is a lowlife, cheap filth just lk his company, can’t wait to see the back off the evil fat bas#f@d.
Beattie25
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:28 AM
Comment #8Spent the least in the PL and even came close to the bottom of the championship list of spending.
Don’t be fooled by the jan window as he got 3 of the 5 on cheap deals also. We didn’t exactly spend a fortune.
Again he spent as little as he could to try and secure top flight football.
Mark the Mag
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:33 AM
Comment #9P
I need a ho, al go and see ashleys wife then,
Beattie
Fully behind u now now m8, am sick of these chancers at our club, read ur posts for ages just starting to understand u have been right all along
Beattie for next Toon manager, u heard it here first
Beattie25
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:36 AM
Comment #10Mark
Yes! Support me and ill bring you glory.
We’re going to win the league, were going to win the league, so now you’re gonna believe us…
Mark the Mag
Apr 19, 2013 at 1:42 AM
Comment #11Beattie is the man to lead us to glory, this man has been persistent, his passion has shone through in the end, u lead the way m8.
Were going to we us, were going to win the league ! Never sang that since kk,
chris_g
Apr 19, 2013 at 5:05 AM
Comment #12“Forbes magazine will report on 9th May that Newcastle United are now are the 20th most valuable club in the world, and are valued at £172M, which is up 9% year over year.”
When I first read that I thought it meant that the value of the club had been increasing by an average of 9% a year over a number of years, which sounded pretty good. Then I realised that when Ed wrote “year over year” he simply meant the value now compared to the value at the same time last year, and when I looked at the figures a bit more closely things started to look much worse.
When Ashley bought the club in 2007, NUFC was ranked 13th, and valued (in US Dollars) at $260M. The latest figures are showing a value of $263M (approx £172M) which means that there’s only been a 1% increase in value over the last 6 years! That’s pretty awful when you compare it to the other PL clubs in the rich list. During the same period the value of a couple of those clubs (Man U and Spurs) more than doubled and, in the case of Man C, more than tripled.
If anyone’s interested, these are the figures I dug out, showing current US dollar values compared to the 2007 values (in brackets):
Man U 3165 (1453) + 218%
Arsenal 1326 (915) + 145%
Chelsea 901 (537) + 168%
Man C 689 (208) + 331%
Liverpool 651 (454) + 143%
Spurs 520 (243) + 214%
NUFC 263 (260) 🙁
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes%27_list_of_the_most_valuable_football_clubs
p
Apr 19, 2013 at 5:17 AM
Comment #13Well those figures have a story behind them – people have been pumping money into those clubs so of course they are worth more. Even arsenal have been funded by man city via overinflated transfer fees.
Which offered the best return on investments, that would be a more accurate picture and i am talking financially not on the pitch though the 2 are linked.
jimmysmith
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:01 AM
Comment #14Little wonder Mike is so indifferent to our fortunes. We’re only worth 170 mill.
Chump change!
cyprus
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:13 AM
Comment #15On MA getting richer: The richer he gets the happier we should be.
On some of the spiteful posts above. Best answer at #3.
On Beattie quotes: he’s said worse (e.g. we must educate the fans), and better (…). I’ve challenged his tactical know how quite a few times, but, his celebration vs Fulham gave him till the end of the season for me 🙂
On Jonas comments: I think he feels the pain, why not believe him. btw, we need a lot of work to avoid that relegation. Knowing NUFC, we’ll be in danger till the last game, a 94′ goal by Cisse will save us! Pathetic hand written signs (‘we are staying up’) will be shown in the highlights ad nauseum.
cyprus
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:22 AM
Comment #16I can’t be sure, but I disagree that he’s indifferent to our fortunes. NUFC fans pushed him (emotionally) away. They couldn’t stand a southern billionaire mingling among them, drinking pints and wearing an NUFC shirt. In cold calculating terms, they made a mistake, they forced him to distance himself.
89Norcal
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:36 AM
Comment #17I bought the Forbes Billionaires edition from last month and couldn’t pinpoint Mashley among the few hundred names, nor Trump.
This is good news because now he’ll invest more into the club, right? 🙂
Lilongwe Geordie
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:44 AM
Comment #18Chris_g
The other thing is none of those clubs suffered a relegation. To have done that, and not had serious money pumped in is a huge achievement.
Yes, Ashley hasn’t spent fortunes, but by god the players we have now are much better, so where is the problem their?
Let’s spend 20million on a centre forward, because, even if he turns out rubbish, at least our owner proved he cared about the club spending that cash. In hindsight, we should have matched Liverpool for Henderson, then at least Ashley would show ambition.
Utter tosh.
Transfer Sage
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:45 AM
Comment #19norcal
purely depends if its real money he has increased or if its value in his company. If its just value in the company he hasn’t got that money unless he sells bits of it again.
Either way i don’t think effects us, he is trying to make us self sufficient so we don’t rely on his money. But if he has extra he might be tempted to use it to get himself a shiny new player to watch haha.
Transfer Sage
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:46 AM
Comment #20lilongwe
I don’t care who we sign as long as they are good. To us fans money shouldn’t matter. Whether the forward costs 1mil or 50mil i don’t care as long as he gets goals.
jimmysmith
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:53 AM
Comment #21I actually don’t think he’s indifferent. I do think he’s incredibly penny wise when it comes to the Toon though.
Seems a little odd in a billionaire football club owner.
You can’t take with you, you know pal.
Lilongwe Geordie
Apr 19, 2013 at 7:53 AM
Comment #22Transfer,
Exactly my point.
Patoon
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:00 AM
Comment #23Just hope he invests in a new manager as soon as the final game is played this season
Transfer Sage
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:06 AM
Comment #24lilongwe
Yep. Money is something us as fans shouldn’t worry. Liverpool spent 20ish on suarez and 35 on carroll…i know which they prefer to see.
Same with us….we have some great bargains, for world class, ready made you need big money but if you buy somebody who has potential and on fringes of big things you can save money. Might lose out sometimes asthey dont kick on as thought, but it’s a worthwhile gamble.
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:11 AM
Comment #25Morning chaps…
Mike….Lend us a tenner pal?
Transfer Sage
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:14 AM
Comment #26ibiza
morning. Looking forward to the game this weekend?
I am, fancy our 2nd away win.
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:16 AM
Comment #27Transfer…Good morning and I will dive very quickly into last night – great diplomacy shown by you, I am clearing a little perch upon my fence to which you are always welcome 🙂
As always with this love affair, yes, I am once again looking forward to the game. Even if my head thinks we’ll lose a game, it’s always the same. 3 points? Of course!
Transfer Sage
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:21 AM
Comment #28ibiza
Thanks….best just to try out best to keep this place to football related chat, or at least keep insults away. I never get the whole thing of ‘you are insulting me for attention so i will reply giving you the attention you want’ haha.
If people try to insult me i just ignore it, rather spend more time with people who want to discuss something about the club, whether my view or total opposite.
I don’t fear west brom, decent team but inconsistent, had a great start to the season and their form has dipped, we have a chance to go there and win, or we could lose, but i’ll not worry about that.
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:28 AM
Comment #29Transfer…Amen.
West Brom had a cracking start, weren’t they the Newcastle of this season? 🙂 Guess their luck ran out too early!?!?
We certainly have the ability to beat anyone on our day, even with Pardew whatever your view is of him, but we are a serious bogey team to ourselves so who knows?
Until the final whistle I will believe. Be great to get the points and give us some breathing room. West Ham are apparently “safe” now with their point against Man U, who are now on 39 points. Not sure I agree completely, but we’ll be on level points if we win, so let’s go for it.
bobby vee
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:28 AM
Comment #30Nice to hear that MA has added £550million to his ever
expanding wealth and now sits on a £2.3billion fortune!
Now surely he can reward his long suffering NUFC
staff a pay rise which they have been denied for the past
five years but somehow I don’t think so! Not to worry
though the annual invasion of Sports Direct staff will
be converging on SJP for their annual “Beano” (No
expense spared) singing the praises of their beloved
leader who will have bestowed thousands of pounds in
bonus’s upon them while SJP staff can only stand by
and witness this deliberate “kick in the teeth” towards
them! Oh how he hates Geordies.
OK so no recompense will be forthcoming for their
undying loyalty over the years so how about investing
a fraction of this enormous wealth on a Manager who
will lead the club forward and save us from a projected
further 7 years of embarrassment! HWTL.
Lilongwe Geordie
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:28 AM
Comment #31Ibiza/Transfer,
My heart says 3 points, my head says I will take nothing less than 1. I don’t fear West Brom as such, but Lukaku terrorised us at our place, and but for a few top saves from Krul, could have had a hat trick. We need to stop any supply to him, best way to do that is to take the game to them and keep the ball. Can we do that? I think so, but I have thought we could all season and have very rarely shown it.
Equally importantly this weekend we need other results to go our way. As always, looking forward to it, but a bit more apprehensive then normal due to last weekends no show.
Lilongwe Geordie
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:33 AM
Comment #32Bobby Vee,
As Sports Direct and NUFC are 2 entirely different organisations, they are bound t have entirely different pay structures. Mike isn’t privately funding the parties or pay rises/bonuses. The company is. Maybe when NUFC generate the sort of profits that Sports Direct return then that is a valid point, until then it is utter nonsense.
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:33 AM
Comment #33bobby vee…Have their been no bonuses or incentives for the staff at SJP in that time? Genuine question as I remember in our first season back in the PL that bonuses were effected by our last game against…uh oh…West Brom.
Lilongwe…He is a handful and has had a wonderful season. We’ll have to be on guard and as you say, find a way to take the game to them. It is frustrating seeing it in little bursts, we obviously can do it…hopefully we will tomorrow.
Anyone know which games are televised tomorrow? Am I likely to be streaming?
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:34 AM
Comment #34The way I look at it the next five games are the most important in the history of Newcastle United.
Go down we will have a long way to come back as I cannot see the French contingent staying.
Stay up buy a new goalscorer and centre half we could go places.
As for Ashley
I would rather have him at as the owner of the club than the theivin’ Shepherd and son of John Hall – both families screwed the club out of millions
Transfer Sage
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:37 AM
Comment #35ibiza
We have players capable of individual brilliance, so anyone can be beat if those players turn up, even just for a few minutes in the game.
Hopefully we can get a win.
I kind of want pardew to prove me wrong about his as it will mean we are doing well, so really on this argument i would love to be wrong with my judgement of our manager…but i fear i’m not. Only time will tell though and I might as well enjoy the games as best I can until he improves or leaves.
Lilongwe Geordie
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:38 AM
Comment #36Ibiza,
I think you are likely to be streaming. We get most games out here, but we are on the delayed showing tomorrow. Pain in the arse as there is no guarantee of a power cut or internet failure out here, at least if it’s on TV I can go to a bar where they have a generator for these such problems!
Transfer Sage
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:40 AM
Comment #37charlie
very few will stay if we go down, with it being a world cup year next year, and in brazil, all the players will want to play highest possible level to get in that squad…will be a special world cup out there that’s for sure.
I still think cabaye is gone this summer, think psg will make an offer too tempting for us to turn down and too tempting for cabaye…good chance of league, realistic chance of champs league and working with a top manager in your home country, which is bound to help his national team chances even more than now.
Be a shame to lose him, think he is brilliant, but can just see it.
Lilongwe Geordie
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Comment #38Charlie,
You are right about the french contingent leaving IF we go down, although Obertan might be loyal(?) and stay with us.
In the summer Striker(2) defenders, central and probably right with Taylor being out again, and wide men. Then with an upgrade in manager or coaching staff we can look forward to next year.
As for owners, Freddie Shepherd made millions from the club, insulted people from Newcastle, and was generally an unpleasant ish guy, a friend of his covered for him and served time at one stage. I know as the friend drank in my bar after doing time, never worked had a posh house in Jesmond, and a ticket in the directors box.
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:46 AM
Comment #39Transfer…I think everyone has some doubts now. We will see has to be the mantra with regards to Pardew, at least for the next 5 games.
Lilongwe…And I thought I had it bad 🙂 I hope the power / internet holds up for you.
Charlie…Huge 5 games. I’d also add a winger to that list (if we stay up), then we are pretty well balanced imo.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Apr 19, 2013 at 8:47 AM
Comment #40Lilongwe Geordie
Couldn’t agree more