Fans bid to buy into Toon

NEWCASTLE supporters have launched a bid to buy a stake in the club and say they have been driven to such action by the current regime. The 1892 Pledge, led by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust and supported by Alan Shearer, aims to build a fund to acquire a small share of the club when it is sold by Mike Ashley. Alex Hurst, NUST board member, said: ‘In an ideal world we want Newcastle United to be a transparent, well-run, community-driven organisation but it’s not those things. For every terrible decision made by the owners, fan input has been missing. Now we want to work with new owners. ‘But to give fans a genuine chance of engaging with new ownership, we have to turn up at the table with some money. Supporters must have a say in what happens to the club and we believe this campaign will give us a real voice in the running of the club — not just now but for decades into the future.’ The Trust believe £3million would enable them to buy a one per cent stake. There is no limit on the time needed to raise money and, should there be a vote to abandon the plan in the future, all funds would be donated to North East charities. Hurst added: ‘We believe there is nothing that fans of this club can’t achieve when we are truly united and this is a chance for us to prove it. ‘There is a huge and ever-growing disconnect between the people who run Newcastle United and the people who support the club. This situation is unhealthy and unsustainable. ‘We believe the 1892 Pledge is the first step towards writing a better future.’