TV duo back legal bid on club buyout
POPULAR TV presenters Ant and Dec have thrown their support behind the Newcastle United takeover legal fight.
The Newcastle United Consortium Supporters Limited - made up of fans Gordon Stein and Keith Patterson - is lobbying MPs for “full transparency” around the club’s arbitration case against the Premier League as it seeks answers around the aborted PIF-backed takeover.
The group wants that case to be taken in the public domain and to urge local MPs to put political pressure on the Premier League.
Last week the Premier League’s solicitors rebutted the NCSL’s own threat of legal action, which centres around anticompetition claims.
Now, after securing support from the Magpie Group and backing from the Newcastle United Supporters Trust, the NCSL is keen to use the club’s support to lobby members of parliament and released a letter setting out its case.
NCSL, which has the support of both potential buyer and seller, is pushing for the case not to be allowed to play out behind closeddoors because it is in the public interest.
The letter also revealed key details of the Premier League’s response to their legal action and asked for the Government to intervene to make sure the arbitration case is heard quickly.
Stein and Patterson are urging supporters to use the text of their letter and email or write to their local MP to secure their support for bringing the club’s case into the public domain.
Two famous fans who have done just that are Ant and Dec.
Ant and Dec were presenting ITV’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here on Friday evening during Newcastle’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace but images of them watching the match in the studio between breaks went viral on social media on Friday.
The NCSL posted a photo of the pair watching the clash and tweeted: “@antanddec support the takeover.”
The pair confirmed their support by replying to the tweet with two thumb- up to which the consortium responded: “You two a credit to everything you were brought up to be. Be proud of yourselves.”