Ashley ready to sell

Let skysports.com know your thoughts on the Toon owner's revelation

Last updated: 14th September 2008

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Ashley: Wants out

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Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has confirmed he wants to sell the troubled Premier League club.

The announcement follows the recent departure of hugely-popular manager Kevin Keegan after just three games of the new season.

Ashley has come in for strong criticism for his handling of the Tyneside outfit, with the club's hierarchy called into question.

Saturday's fixture versus Hull City saw protests from supporters, with Ashley and executive director (football) Dennis Wise bearing the brunt of the fans' wrath.

So what now for Newcastle? Will Ashley's seemingly impending exit be welcomed by all associated at St James' Park?

Should the future new owner(s) look to reinstate Keegan at the helm? And if not, who should they look to?

And how vital is it that that the new regime ensure a sustained period of stability for the Magpies?

Let skysports.com know your thoughts using the feedback form below and we will publish a selection.

Comments

Kev J (Newcastle United fan) says...

Lets face the facts, has Mike Ashley had time to get things right , no. Has he been wrongly advised , i would say yes. If he would only get rid of Wise and get a manager who will have full control, i do believe that we could go forward. Was King Kev really the answer, we will now never know, but i would rather have Steve Bruce. I think that the fans who have called for his head and wanted to boycott the Hull game need to look at the attendance figure, there were more at the Hull game than there was at home to Bolton.Lets get the academy right and lets look ahead to the future. Things cant get any worse

Posted 20:38 18th September 2008

Neil Disson (Cardiff City fan) says...

Mike Ashley is using the excuse that 'he has listened to the fans' and wants to bow out. It seems to me that his comments are well timed to fall in line with recent events in the Premiership that shows foreign investment is never far away - look at Manchester City, for example. Its the fans that have lost out and I feel very sorry for them, they are dedicated fans of the highest order, but a club needs a leader who will allow their Manager to manage rather than be a "yes" man and let the Chairman take the reigns. When Ashley has gone, Kev will be nack I'm sure.

Posted 19:38 16th September 2008

Keith Russell says...

i think that it"s unfair to say that we as newcastle fans are unrealistic. Mr ashley promised to bring the good times back to st james park and tried to be all things to all people, unfortunately when he decided to change things round and brought in people who don"t understand what newcastle united are about and treat one of the few people that do understand us the way he treated KK then there was really only one option left open to him. I just hope we find the right buyer sooner rather than later so we can get back to playing football and hopefully progressing up the league.

Posted 18:40 16th September 2008

Roger Ledger (Everton fan) says...

To those who think Newcastle supporters are wrong and deluded, have a look at the ragged team they will be putting out over the next few weeks which will be down to Ashleys "men" not cooperating with Keegan. Their squad is short of numbers (especially defenders) and there are no fist team fullbacks or a right winger for selection. They are injured or Newcastle simply dont have them. If Ashley had sorted this instead of partying in New York this could have been avoided. I see this as a victory for real football fans, not the plastic prawn sarnie brigade that pollute the game these days. Unfortunately, Newcastle will probably be taken over by more plastic prawnies who are coming into the game for the wrong reasons.

Posted 18:30 16th September 2008

Kevin Thompson (Newcastle United fan) says...

It's not rocket science. Mr Ashley made lots of sense in his statement about the financial running of the club EXCEPT he omitted the main point of contention, which is Dennis Wise. As far as I am concerned Mr Ashley would redeem himself instantly by admitting his mistake, get rid of Wise and Jimenez and bring back Keegan. Let Keegan have a say in who the 'scouts' are so they are on the same page and let Keegan have final say in transfers.

Posted 15:06 16th September 2008

Sam Cooke (Leeds United fan) says...

Oh my word. From what I can see here, Newcastle fans haven't got a clue about football or how to run a football club or a business. If they had their way they would all be on the board and all get to make decisions about everything. No communication? who do you think you are? Business decisions get shared with shareholders, not season ticket holders. It sounds like a colossal mess to me, how can you expect to run a club when the fans are happy to let you spend millions but only as long as its on their terms? tell you what 'loyal' fans, why dont you all pay for your own debts, wages, players and managers of your choice, run the club out of existence and then we will all be happy. I have never heard such a bunch of pathetic, deluded whingers. Milner is useless, Keegan has quit every managment job he has ever had and you need to get realistic about your club and the way it is run.

Posted 14:09 16th September 2008

Bill Smith (Newcastle United fan) says...

Can I clarify once and for all when Kevin Keegan joined Newcastle Utd he was told that he had the first and the last word in ALL transfer dealings. This is a fact which was confirmed in the Newcastle programme in February which Dennis Wise wrote in it stating in no uncertain terms Keegan was the BOSS. This has clearly not happened and the goalposts have been significantly moved. A director of football must work in conjunction with the Manager, deciding on potential targets and agreeing who to eventually buy and sell. It is completely different if you have a Dir Of Football and a Coach. The coach is exactly what his title says-- A Coach: he is given a set of players to work and he gets on with his job. A Manager is, or at least should be, the Boss who has overall say in all matters relating to team selection, player purchase and player sales always, of course, subject financial restraints imposed by his financial director or club owner. So for goodness sake leave Keegan alone he is an honourable man who has not thrown his toys out of the pram. He has been put in an impossible position. Mike Ashley could have resolved the problem and retained the respect of the fans simply by getting shot of Wise. Why he came in the first place I do not know he must surely have thought he would become Manager in due course. Unfortunately for him he will NEVER be accepted at Newcastle by the vast majority of fans.

Posted 12:57 16th September 2008

David B says...

All this is just Mike Ashley's clever way of not paying for extras for the Hollywood horror comedy 'Goal 4'. The plot line revolves around a megalomaniac sugar-daddy, played by Danny Devito, falling out with the popular permed man of the people, Paul Michael Glazier. After the locals descend on the castle atop a hill with flaming torches an ex-number 9 played by Steve Austin is given robotic legs and employed as a player coach. Things begin to look up. The football club and surrounding area are subsequently awarded national status by the UN and go on to win and hold the next four world cups in a row. Steve Austin is made weekday Pope and is awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering a global cure for constipation while clearing his waste compactor at home. Apparently a bloke with a pony-tail approved the new script following a power-lunch in L.A. First drafts that mirrored real events were dismissed as a tad far fetched.

Posted 11:25 16th September 2008

Garry Coulthard (Newcastle United fan) says...

I'm sick of people saying Newcastle fans are unrealistic, the very fact that we are Newcastle fans proves to all that we are in for the long haul. Ashley got somethings wrong, and I cant argue with that but at least he took Newcastle on, lock stock and Freddies smoking barrels. I for one dont want Ashley to go, I want him to learn from his mistakes, make amends and move on. The task ahead isnt an enviable one, but is certainly a worthwhile one. All we want to see is 11 players on the pitch bleeding Back and White. Is it that hard?..........really?

Posted 02:34 16th September 2008

James Sloan (Newcastle United fan) says...

First of all I do not understand what gives Liverpool fans the right to express their opinion on Newcastle's dealings when not so long ago they were doing the same protesting at their club, although unfortunately for them they did not succeed. Anyway on to the main issues my most important point is that I am sick of everyone in football being hypocritical of every involving Newcastle United. We have been totally slagged off in recent years because we do not give managers time and we do not have any stability, then as soon as we back a manager everyone from outside Newcastle decides to feel sorry for the Chairman and call the fans unfair. Also Newcastle fans do not expect to be as big as Man U and have not claimed to be near that level, however people seem to think that all Newcastle fans believe this which is just not true. The problem here is the few that believe that, which is the same at every club are the ones that are being heard. To sum up, I hold Keegan in high regard and currently feel he is the only man to appease the fans and steady the ship in the short term, however I do not feel he is the long term fix, therefore we need to decide whether at present short term stability or long term gain is closer to our objectives. I think that Ashley was right to set up a business model, however he made some extremely fatal errors of judgement. First of all his communication skills throughout his regime have been atrocious, secondly he has claimed to base his model on Arsenal and then bring in a Director of Football to take control of transfers. Now I don't see anyone telling Wenger that he must sell Fabregas and then bringing in a player in a different position which he has never heard of as a replacement. I imagine that if this had happened at Man U for example and Fergie walked out fan reaction would have been the same, however media perception would have been well done Man U rather than not again Newcastle.

Posted 16:11 15th September 2008

Andy Kearney (Reading fan) says...

The problem here is loyalty. The deluded Newcastle fans are loyal to their club, so was the chairman. Yes, he made a few mistakes, but he IS a fan, not just some chairman there to make a mint. Who do you Newcastle fans want now to run and manage the club? Keegan? Shearer? So, youve already got your priorities set in stone, you want loyal local fans managing this delusional club? You will NEVER attract 'big star' names, only people who have nowhere better to go to. You will NEVER attract 'big star' footballers either, who the hell would want to go to an over-rated localised club??? Take a look at your biggest rivals, Sunderland AND Boro and see how they run their clubs, theyre not delusional at all, theyre ambitious. Theres a difference. Fingers cross youre relegated. You deserve to be

Posted 15:12 15th September 2008

Joe Roberts (Newcastle United fan) says...

Have you actually spoken 2 any newcastle fans Steve Reilly? Like most news outlets - and now it seems ashley too - think newcastle fans want the earth and want it now. No-one actually asks any of them tho so you and they can't comment. We want a club who is moving forward and not constantly hitting the headlines for reasons other than results. Not sellin some of their best young players and not signing other unknowns without the agreement of the manager. Like Keegan last season, we are a million miles away from the top four and its going to take time to bridge that massive gap. Now we have no manager, basically haven't gotta board so we are even further away. Why is Owen gonna sign a new contract while all this is going on? Why would Martins, Taylor, Given want to stay after seein another manager leave. Looks like Mr. Reilly will get his way - if things dont change soon we'll b down there with him just makin up the numbers but this is not down to the fans but the ppl who supposedly are running the club.

Posted 14:51 15th September 2008

John Porter (Leeds United fan) says...

I am a Leeds fan and have been all of my known days. I really like Newcastle United and i have many friends who are Newcastle United fans as well. The situations is dreadful if you ask me and i really must say that i blame the NUFC board of Directors and Mike Ashley as they should not have appointed Dennis Wise in the first place. How would any self respecting team manager ever accept such a situation where he does not have any say in the buying and selling of players, it's ridiculous. I feel that it is also very bad that Mike Ashley has had to resign due to threats against his family if this is true, however is it simply Mr Ashley using this as an excuse to walk out of the club having made such a hash of it in recent weeks, who knows, but it does beg the question? He did not read the fans very well did he? and he certainly did not read KK very well either. Kevin Keegan was the one who got the team feeling more confident and the end of the last season, he continued that throughout the summer break as well and they came out fighting when the new season started, even though KK was not happy with the new signings etc. Kev could still get them rocking and rolling if he came back and they would not have lost to Hull if Kev had been at the Helm. Come on Ashley, wrongs can be made right, lose Wise, bring back Kev, keep the club and show everyone how big you are.

Posted 14:02 15th September 2008

Davy Young (Newcastle United fan) says...

Many comments on here from fans of other clubs its obvious your comments are based on what you have read in the press firstly we get accused of delusions of grandeur all we want is a team capable of pushing for a uefa cup place we are sensible to realise the champions league is well above us although we can all dream/wish. We dont go around saying we are a big club we just say we have a good support and anyway what is a big club? its a fair bet the press and pundits will be talking about man city being one of the big 5 next season so they have come from nowhere to being a Big CLUB OVERNIGHT the definition is you are a big club if you have plenty money although i dont include man u or liverpool in that as they are big clubs in their own right but the rest is money possible with the exception af arsenal how many of you would be happy with your manager being told what players he was getting/selling none of your managers would work under those circumstances and you all know it thats where Mike Ashley went wrong the director of football should have been scouting for players on the cheap but the manager should have had the final say that way its workable but until you/we are aware of the full facts then all opinions are guided by speculation rumour and what you want to believe

Posted 13:56 15th September 2008

David Smith (Newcastle United fan) says...

I can't believe the fans have turned on the board because of Kevin ' the quitter' Keegan. It was always a matter of 'when' not 'if' Keegan resigned when he came back to us in January. Fair enough the appointment of Wise wasn't a good one at all, nor was signing his players without Keegans consent. Yes Mike should have sacked Wise to keep both parties happy but hasn't done so and that is a massive error that. Had he done so the fans would still be with him I feel. However the scouting system he has in place was a good idea and something i like, its something similar to that at the Emirates tho not as good yet! Also i don't blame Ashley for wanting to help Keegan out with transfers as he himself admitted he hadn't seen a live match for over 3 years, tho his judgement of a player maybe good, his knowledge of who to sign can't have been after an absense that long. The mistake he made as i said is that he just needed someone better and more repected and than Wise to head it. Mike didn't splash the cash but that's cause he wanted to turn Newcastle into a self fincancing business meaning that the days of needing billionaire owners for us to stay afloat or to buy big players were over for us and that we could do it from our own profits. Sadly he won't get to see this through though as the fans have made sure of that. Instead we'll get some money flashing multi-billionaire who will splash the cash on big players who will flop as they have at this club before, will then get bored and leave us in Financal ruin ala Leeds United. The signings we have made this year are relativley unknowns but look a class act and this is what Ashley wanted to do, stop wasting money on well known players just taking us for a ride, and sign hungry players with potential and something to prove! But now we head back to uncertainy about our club again and back to the days of signing mr big name using us for the cash and the ride.

Posted 13:55 15th September 2008

D E (Newcastle United fan) says...

How do we have unreal expectations??? We want to go to the match and was a good game of attractive football, see the players give 100% and that is it! How is that unreal??? How many Geordies have said we should win the CL and we need to bid for Berbatov? None, because that would be unrealistic. To all none Newcastle fans get it into your head: WE JUST WANT TO SEE OUR TEAM GIVE 100% AND PLAY ATTRACTIVE FOOTBALL!!! Sorry if it's too much to ask. The media and other clubs fans do not have a clue what Newcastle fans want and continually make stupid statements about us that are simply not true. If you all think we are such a waste of space and a small club why are you all writing comments and articles???

Posted 13:47 15th September 2008

Mike Dillon (Hartlepool United fan) says...

Over this affair Keegan has acted like a spoilt brat who has had his toys taken away. If we can believe the media reports he knew exactly the arrangements at Newcastle, that he would have to work under, before he signed his contact with Mr Ashley. Then after having got his foot in the door, he didn't get his own way, he stured up all this trouble for the club. Keegan has acted AGAIN the same way he acted when manager of Fulham and when manager of the the National team. Personally I wouldn't give him a house room let alone a job. The Newcastle fams that demonstarated on Saturday are totally mis-guided

Posted 13:46 15th September 2008

Liam Scandrett says...

Mike Ashley is right. He is trying to do the right thing by Newcastle long term. His only mistake is not putting together a team that could or wanted to work together. If he wanted Keegan, dont get Wise. And if he wanted Wise, dont get Keegan. Simple as that. Keegan, being out of the game for so long clearly needed help finding new players, but it would have been wise (no pun intended!) to let him bring his own people in, that he wanted to work with. Keegan however, is not the Messiah, he has proved himself to be a coward.

Posted 13:33 15th September 2008

Phillip Cowell (Newcastle United fan) says...

Newcastle United is a club that has a genuine history, a pedigree. Newcastle United has had and always will have fantastic supporters. Granted the sport has changed, the money involved is now stupid, but our support has never faltered. We do not live in 'Cloud Cookoo land' we want players to play for the shirt, the fans and not just the money. Loyalty? What is that? Nothing these days. Which is a shame. Newcastle United is paying for the failings of previous managers and money miss spent on players only interested in the money and not the love of Newcastle United and the fans. The best manager we have had in modern football is Sir Bobby Robson. He should be the messiah not Kevin 'I can walk whenever I want' Keegan. I like Kevin Keegan; I think he brings something to premiership. However, under him, Newcastle would not win anything! Mike Ashley is a businessman; he has spent vast sums clearing the way for a stable platform for the future of NUFC. I believe he was always intending on selling, but he did not envisage the economic downturn and as his money comes from 'retail' this instantly made him aware of his financial frailty. So he then tightened his spending further. He has helped NUFC in the long term by clearing the debt, so as fans we should acknowledge this. Kevin Keegan would never have returned to Newcastle if he himself did not have financial issues. He does love the club, but he should not have come back. Would any sane person give Kevin Keegan an open cheque book if it was your money? Thought not. However Mike Ashley made some mistakes behind the scenes, hiring Wise, lying to Keegan about his role, not being open with the fans and in the end compromising his long term plans for quick cash return with the sale of players. Milner would not have been sold if Mike Ashley was in it for the long term this would never have happened. New investors will have a great platform to finally take the club forward.

Posted 13:14 15th September 2008

Steve Reilly (Norwich City fan) says...

Newcastle fans are the most unrealistic fans in this country. Ashley is trying to build a business model that will work on a financial budget long into the future. Keegan - who has never had to work on a shoestring budget and still has never delivered, is as unrealistic as those fans. I genuinely hope Newcastle get relegated.

Posted 11:33 15th September 2008

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