Up for sale for a year...

...and how near are United to being sold?

NEWCASTLE United have officially been on the market for a year - and yet Mike Ashley remains owner.

It was on October 16, 2017 the Magpies released a statement on behalf of St James’ Holdings Ltd confirming Ashley was looking to sell the club.

During the 12 months which have followed, a takeover saga which has involved Ashley, businesswoman Amanda Staveley, PCP Capital Partners Ltd, former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon and even Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez - among others has unfolded.

The majority of United supporters are desperate to see Ashley move on, given his 11-and-a-half-year ownership of the club has brought not only two relegations but also a string of questionable appointments including Dennis Wise and Joe Kinnear (twice) - and a series of unsavoury episodes, such as the treatment of club legends Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer.

Yet following a 16-month absence from matches, Ashley has returned to the Newcastle scene in recent weeks - he has been at three consecutive games as well as having taken Benitez and the United squad out for an Italian meal - leading supporters to question his motives for seemingly re-engaging with the day-today running of the club.

Ashley is still at the helm - and below is a timeline of how the last 12 months have unfolded as well as detailing where things currently stand.

October 16, 2017: Newcastle United is officially put up for sale

After months of speculation suggesting Ashley was looking to offload the club - and following Amanda Staveley’s appearance at St James’ Park for Newcastle United’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool earlier in the month an official statement was released on behalf of St James’ Holdings Ltd.

In it, Ashley stated he was looking to sell to an owner “capable of delivering the sustained investment in and dedication to the club which is necessary for it to achieve its ambitions”.

October 18, 2017: Amanda Staveley’s interest is confirmed

Less than 24 hours after Newcastle is officially placed on the market, the Chronicle confirms Staveley’s company - PCP - is interested in buying the club.

Within another day, we report Staveley has met with Ashley’s lawyers, signed a non-disclosure agreement, and rates the Magpies at being worth around £300 million.

However, other parties have also registered an interest, too.

November, 2017: Staveley makes three bids for the Magpies

Due diligence was completed by PCP - and, on November 20 it was reported Staveley’s group had made an official £300m bid for Newcastle United.

This followed an appearance by Staveley at the England vs Brazil game at Wembley during the November international break, plus an open invitation from Newcastle council leader Nick Forbes to meet her as he looked forward to the start of a ‘new relationship’ between the city and its football club.

In total, three bids were reportedly made by PCP - ranging from £250m to £350m but to be paid in various instalments and with caveats - but none was accepted.

December 7, 2017: Ashley and Staveley meet face to face

Ashley and Staveley held their first face-to-face meeting in December.

The pair met at the Paradise Indian restaurant in London and were snapped by The Sun newspaper.

However, but it is believed Ashley was unaware the media coverage would emerge and was left angered by it. January 16, 2018: Staveley negotiations off as she is labelled a ‘waste of time’

Following a month of relatively little forward movement - aside from a day in December when it seemed as if a deal had been struck - Ashley ended negotiations with Staveley, describing her as a “time-waster” in the process.

A source close to Ashley said: “It is only right to let the fans know there is no deal on the table or even under discussion with Amanda Staveley and PCP.

“Attempts to reach a deal have proved to be exhausting, frustrating and a complete waste of time.”

January 19, 2018: Staveley hits back at Ashley - and reveals PCP made three bids

For the first time during the whole PCP takeover saga, Staveley spoke on the record during a sitdown interview with The Times - in which she responded to Ashley’s claims she was a time-waster.

She described three separate bids she made for the club - ranging from £250m to £350m, but containing clauses, caveats and instalments - she insisted she still wanted to buy United and described the comments by a source close to Ashley as “hurtful and absurd”.

Staveley also outlined her vision for Newcastle, which included keeping Rafa Benitez as manager and running the club as a “successful, longterm investment.”

April, 2018: Hierarchy confirm club is for sale - but no updates yet

With the first half of the campaign having been dominated by off-field issues - primarily a potential takeover - football suddenly took over from mid-January onwards.

There was no progress, and very few rumours even, with regards to a

new owner coming in until the Newcastle hierarchy confirmed the club remained on the market at April’s Fans Forum.

“The club stated the position has not changed and if or when there is anything to update the club would do so,” United responded when asked if United was still for sale.

April 23, 2018: Claims emerge that Ashley has raised his asking price

As with everything at Newcastle, there are always a flurry of stories following a quiet period.

With United preparing for a game against Everton at Goodison Park, reports emerged claiming Ashley had increased his asking price for Newcastle to £400m.

Given Newcastle had all-but secured their Premier League status by this stage it was claimed Ashley believed the club to be worth more - particularly with Benitez in charge.

July, 2018: The Magpie Group is formed as Rafa’s discontent grows

With Newcastle’s summer transfer window descending into familiarly frustrating territory, Benitez gave a series of explosive press conferences in which he criticised the running of United - and even claimed at one stage “everything was wrong at the club.”

In response, the hashtag #IfRafaGoesWeGo gained momentum, while eventually a collective of fans’ groups joined together to create the Magpie Group.

In the months which have followed, the Magpie Group has orchestrated a series of protests against the United owner - and insists it will continue to do so until he sells or backs Benitez.

September 22, 2018: Ashley takes in a Newcastle match for the first time in 16 months

As Newcastle’s disappointing start to the season on the pitch continued, Ashley suddenly re-emerged on the Magpies’ scene.

At Selhurst Park, he watched his first live United match in 16 months as Newcastle drew 0-0 against Crystal Palace.

It turns out Ashley’s return is part of a strategy being orchestrated by managing-director Lee Charnley in an attempt to get the owner interested in the day-to-day running of the club again. September 18, 2018: Ashley reportedly lowers club’s asking price

After a summer during which little substantive interest arose in the club, reports emerged just weeks into the season claiming Ashley had lowered his price back to £300.

September 29, 2018: Peter Kenyon emerges as being interested in Newcastle

As Newcastle prepared to host Leicester City at St James’ Park, news emerged former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was interested in buying the club.

Kenyon himself does not have the funds to buy Newcastle outright but he is looking to put together a consortium of investors who can do so.

It is understood Kenyon has spoken with Ashley’s lawyers and was told to come back when they have an offer to make for NUFC.

October 3, 2018: Ashley takes Benitez and the Newcastle squad for a meal As Charnley continued his attempts to get Ashley re-engaged with the club, the United owner took Benitez and the United squad out for an Italian meal at Rialto in Ponteland.

There were claims Ashley told the Newcastle players he was not going to sell the club this season and he would do everything he could to help the Magpies survive. Ashley faced protestors from the Magpie Group who chanted: “Where has the money gone?” October 5, 2018: Newcastle hierarchy claims club is not close to being sold

Less than a week after the Kenyon news leaked out, minutes from Newcastle’s Fans Forum confirmed once more United remain for sale but stressed no sale is close.

The club said: “The club has a very clear and reasonable process for individuals or groups who express an interest in purchasing the club. There has not been a lot of serious interest and a sale is not close as it stands.

“The owner wants a fair price and has been open to the dating of payments to achieve a sale. In addition, the buyer must be someone, or a group, who can take the football club forward and support it financially better than he can.”

October 16, 2018: NUFC remains for sale - one year after it was placed on the market

It is now a year to the day since Newcastle confirmed Ashley had placed the club up for sale, yet the billionaire remains the owner.

In fact, it is understood senior figures inside the club are planning for Ashley to remain in charge for the “medium term”, given nobody has yet come close to matchinghis valuation.

Kenyon is believed to be continuing to try and construct a consortium who can buy the club but for now Ashley remains in charge - as protests against him intensify.