THE SAUDI ISSUE... I’M TOONED IN

LAST year, I argued that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund should not be allowed to buy Newcastle United but, in the last week or so, I have changed my mind.

Frankly, I was being a hypocrite about it all and the same can be said about many, if not all, of the people I’ve erm, engaged with on social media about the subject these past few days.

My argument was that the Saudis were bad because of what had happened to murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

But that situation hasn’t stopped me using Uber, flying on Boeing aeroplanes and buying tickets for gigs on Live Nation, and they are all companies who have taken considerable Saudi investment.

I don’t suppose either that I’d have said no to a few gallons of petrol last week had I been told they had come from a Saudi oilfield.

So where do you draw the line? I don’t know, but what I do know is that I can’t happily use Saudi-funded products when it suits me and then get the hump when they try to buy one of our football clubs.

Now looking at it and saying, ‘Are there questions that should be asked about Saudi Arabia? Yes, of course.

‘But are there also questions that should be asked about China, the US, the UK? Absolutely.’

From a purely football perspective, then, last week’s takeover was a massive moment for the Toon and for the Premier League.

And to those fans of other clubs who mocked their supporters’ cries of, ‘Europe, here we come’, in midweek, I say you’re wrong.

Newcastle is a one-club city with a fantastic stadium and huge support, and with owners as wealthy as these, everything is in place for them to become a giant of English football once again.