JOHN GIBSON Hurray... but new ownership will bring its own problems
I HAVE WORRIES OVER WHO ASHLEY MIGHT SELL TO...
DARE we presume this time Mike Ashley is deadly serious about finding a buyer?
Yeah, I think so. Even a guy with a skin as thick as a rhino’s can get fed up when his bank balance is not increasing at the same rapid rate as abuse.
So battered but defiant Geordies may be about to be presented with the first part of their wish. However, minefields lie ahead.
It is all right getting rid of a hugely-npopular owner - but who is to take over becomes a mighty worry.
I was always upset Sheik Mansour and his cronies decided to pitch up at Manchester City instead of Newcastle United.
City were not great shakes until the sheik arrived – they were not even the most successful club in Manchester – while Newcastle had a massive fan base of 50,000 and a bigger stadium than the Sky Blues.
The arrival of Mansour and his consortium loaded to the gunnels with cash and hell bent on investing was the best of takeovers, but there have been some shockers!
Starting at City who were previously owned by former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who later ran into legal troubles in his homeland.
There have been others not fit for purpose but who have been welcomed into English football with open arms and little investigation.
A perfect example is Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung who, as owner of Birmingham City, was put behind bars in his own country convicted of money laundering.
Americans may appear to be the best option but are they?
Rafa Benitez will be praying Newcastle don’t get a pair like George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who he spectacularly fell out with after steering Liverpool to two Champions League finals.
Then there was Randy Lerner, who was in charge as a famous club like Aston Villa hit hard times, and Ellis Short, who is currently doing the same at Sunderland.
You see the need for caution in getting out the bunting.
I have worries about who Ashley might sell to.
After all, most people selling a house don’t concern themselves about their neighbour’s well-being after they have gone – they are only getting the best financial deal.
Ever since her high-profile appearance at the Liverpool match, financier Amanda Staveley has been centre stage amid swirling speculation. She is interested in brokering a deal and with her vast Middle East connections let us hope she has another Mansour to steer our way as she did for City in 2008. Map provided for precise location upon request.
The real power hides away behind the throne at City allowing one of his advisors, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to be its public face as chairman - which is more than all right by us if repeated up here.
What has Ashley given us in his 10 years to remember him by?
If you wish to say two Championship titles, then another way of putting it is two PL relegations which is much more the point I suggest.
After that come a lot of dodgy decisions... dismissing any efforts to win a domestic trophy, appointing Joe Kinnear, trying to change the name of St James’ Park, the Wonga sponsorship, treating club legends Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer with disrespect, sacking good guy Chris Hughton, adapting a restrictive signing policy.
Oh, and to be fair, somehow achieving a fifth-top PL finish and appointing Benitez.
All of which makes you wonder why Ashley bought the club in the first place if he did not aim to win anything and was seemingly hellbent on making a succession of decisions which were inevitably going to outrage the supporters.
Maybe, of course, it was a simple as buying a brand name, a vehicle, which would help sell shirts far and wide. That is the cynic in me.