Fan-tastic support for the Magpies

NEWCASTLE United’s potential investors take note - research into attendances suggest the Magpies have the third “biggest” fanbase in the Premier League era.

A new report has tracked average gates since 1992 - taking into account seasons spent outside the top flight - and United have the third-highest average attendance.

Only Manchester United and Arsenal are higher - with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Everton, Spurs and Aston Villa behind them.

It says it all about the North East’s passion for football that Sunderland are the 10th highest.

Bill Edgar’s report separates average attendances into three distinct categories - the Premier League era, between 1946-92 and between 1919 and 1939.

United - along with the other nine clubs mentioned above remain in the top 10 in what represents “remarkable stability” in the top flight.

United’s average post-1992 attendance is above 45,000 which is remarkable considering they have not won anything in that period.

Manchester United’s avergate gate is bigger than any other in the top flight, measuring well over 60,000.

Then it is Arsenal, whose move to the Emirates means they are just ahead of the Magpies.

Of course, whether it remains that way is another matter.

With Liverpool expanding Anfield, Tottenham moving to a new stadium and West Ham’s move to the London Stadium, Newcastle’s position as one of the best supported clubs in the top flight will be under threat.

Yet it still must be near the top of any motivation for potential investors - to have such a huge fanbase in spite of the lack of tangible success is a fantastic base from which to grow.

Considering Newcastle are one of the clubs whose games are shown most often on TV, it is fair to say their profile in the division since 1992 also outweighs their success on the field.

As Edgar notes: “Possessing a huge fanbase is significant financially in many ways, increasingly so in the modern age. More money can be taken at the gate but also merchandise can be sold in greater quantities and lucrative sponsorship deals can be arranged.”

1. IS THIS TAKEOVER REAL - OR IS IT A MIRAGE?

To assuage some of the concerns: this is not a Mike Ashley PR power play - there is definitely something going on at Newcastle United.

We are in a period of due diligence for at least one group, there is interest from several others and Peter Kenyon’s consortium is backed by American funds which boast serious wealth.

Kenyon - a larger-than-life figure at Manchester United and Chelsea who would bring a totally different approach than the current board believes he now has the potential backing to broker a deal.

We know of at least one other serious bidder who has been doing his homework on the club for months.

Whether he is one of the other interested groups is not clear - and with non-disclosure agreements signed by anyone who is a real player in this process, gaining clarity is nigh-on impossible.

Even Rafa Benitez is pretty much

Although Ashley is now portraying himself as a willing seller, it will hardly have been a straightforward process for interested buyers. With an ongoing tax case, a manager reaching the end of his