Furloughed Toon workers start to return

NEWCASTLE United’s current regime have started to recall some of their workforce from furlough ahead of the Premier League’s Project Restart.

The Magpies used the government’s furlough scheme at the end of March to sideline a significant number of staff shortly after topflight action was suspended.

Reports then suggested that would-be owners would reverse the furlough scheme if they wrestled United from Mike Ashley.

But a number of staff have now returned to work while others have been put on standby for next month should the Premier League get back under way.

If Project Restart is given the green light, United’s first game is likely to be the postponed March encounter with Sheffield United.

The game would be played behind closed doors, but Newcastle intend to staff the game with the usual number of match-day stewards with safety around the stadium paramount amid the virus pandemic.

Newcastle players held a virtual meeting this week with Steve Bruce (below) and managing director Lee Charnley.

It is understood that takeover talk wasn’t mentioned in the briefing, but an overall message of getting the club moving again and bringing staff back to work emerged from the video chat with the MD.

Ashley remains out of the country and has not held any dialogue with staff on the proposed Middle East takeover.

But Bruce has been told – for now at least – it is business as usual despite the Toon boss seeing a clutch of managers linked with the top job at St James’

Park.