As a lifelong Newcastle fan there is delight that the Mike Ashley era is over but a new owner does not always lead to successAbout 15 years ago, a young girl wrote my mother a beautiful poem for Christmas, talking about how she hoped the new year would bring an end to famine, war, and generally make the world a better place. Coming from one Tyneside family to another, the message ended with the plaintive line “Hope for Newcastle”.Fans have been hoping ever since. But although they have packed out St James’ Park every other week, all they’ve been given is hopelessness. Although that young girl didn’t intend it, the line in that poem has become a cruel joke, mocking...
Premier League allowing deal shows money and international reputation laundering can trump concerns about the regimeThe great game of football has always been an expression of the country and times in which it is played, so the takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi Arabian investment fund radiates the widest of reflections about the state that England is in.On the very same day that the prime minister hailed the collapse of the European Super League breakaway as a triumph for our moral sporting values, the Premier League was preparing to approve a fund financed by the super-rich, murderous Saudi state as a fit and proper owner for one of our great clubs. Continue reading...
Steve Bruce broke owner Mike Ashley’s unwritten rule that managers on Tyneside are best seen but not heardMike Ashley is often described as brass-necked but behind the brash and brazen exterior Newcastle’s owner can also be extremely thin-skinned.A prime example of this paradox is to be found between the lines of the club’s recent 768-word statement attempting to justify a transfer window featuring one senior signing and a slashing of the wage bill. Continue reading...
The Saudi-led takeover’s collapse means years of limbo and misery continue and a sign of hope has disappeared After 16 long weeks, the proposed takeover of Newcastle United – which officially began in January but has been at the forefront of fans’ minds for far longer – has reached a conclusion. The consortium has pulled the plug.So acute has been the tension over the past few months that at times it’s been easy to forget what exactly we were getting excited about. Most of the headlines that have forensically dissected this seemingly never-ending saga have focused on the buying side, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which in attempting to purchase a controlling stake in the club alongside Amanda Staveley and...
The collapse of the Saudi-led £300m bid may bring an end to uncertainty for Steve Bruce but also stirs up uncomfortable memories for their long-suffering supportersThe past four months have provided Newcastle United supporters with a crash course in geopolitics and left Mike Ashley clutching a £17m non-refundable deposit.Right now neither offers much consolation for the crushing loss of hope and opportunity stemming from the collapse of the club’s proposed Saudi Arabian-led takeover. Related: Newcastle have had a narrow escape and may realise that in the fullness of time | Jonathan Liew Related: Saudi Arabia appeals against WTO ruling in twist to Newcastle takeover bid Continue reading...