Let’s accept Mike Ashley’s apologies

WE should all buy Mike Ashley a pint because he loves us, or at least he did. He loved being part of the Geordie nation, and if we let him back in, he just might love us again.

Mike Ashley went on Sky and admitted to making mistakes. You could say a lot of things about that interview, but the key element has been largely overlooked.

Mike revealed how much he loved being part of the Toon Army. How travelling with the fans was a dream, a thousand times more fun that being in the boardroom.

He was later told by the police that if he travelled with the supporters he was likely to be assaulted. Mike was off the bus and off the team, and he’s never been back.

So isn’t it obvious? Mike’s upset. He’s a human being. His feelings have been hurt. But of course he’s not the type of man to say, ‘you’ve hurt my feelings.’

Surely, Mike Ashley must see that having a manager like Rafa at Newcastle United is a oncein-a-generation opportunity.

But then it’s hardly surprising that Mike resents Rafa, because right now what happens is that Rafa gets the credit for everything good, and Mike gets the blame for everything bad.

Rafa gets the love, while Mike pays the bills.

Rafa, who reaches out to players and fans and the wider community, Rafa, who brings us all together, has conspicuously left one of us out. Even in summer, 2016 when he was getting the support he needed, Rafa offered no thanks to Mike.

But it’s not just Mike and Rafa who have lost sight of what’s important. We have too.

Like it or not, Mike Ashley is the owner. We need him. We need to forgive his honest mistakes because that’s all part of the package that somehow made him a billionaire.

Anyone remember that wave of optimism when he first came in? A man with the Midas touch and great ambitions for Newcastle United. A self-made billionaire who still liked a pint with the lads.

Since then, it’s been a decade of resentment, of each side blaming the other. But didn’t we make mistakes too? Did we judge him too harshly on his first season’s performance?

Have we failed to appreciate the efforts he has made and the money he’s spent, and to understand that when you’re making big decisions you’re bound to make big mistakes too?

Sure, it isn’t easy to forgive, but what are our options? For now, let’s just accept Mike’s apologies, but on the understanding that there needs to be real movement from both sides.

Let’s remember that the Mike Ashley who listened to Dennis Wise before Kevin Keegan is also the Mike Ashley who brought us Rafa Benitez, JonJo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie.

And as the man who paid for that magic hat, doesn’t he deserve a sprinkling of stardust?

SIMON VAN DER VELDE