United fans lobby new culture chief

NADINE Dorries has been inundated with emails and messages from Newcastle United supporters about the club’s takeover saga after being appointed Culture Secretary.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson handed her the post after predecessor Oliver Dowden was given a new role as co-chairman of the Conservative Party following a cabinet reshuffle.

Ms Dorries will have a host of responsibilities including overseeing the BBC and gambling reform.

Sport will also be part of Ms Dorries’ brief and it is inevitable the Mid-bedfordshire MP will be asked to comment on Newcastle’s Saudi-backed takeover in the coming weeks and months.

A number of Newcastle fans have already tried to reach out to her to raise their concerns about the process.

The Premier League’s belief that Saudi Arabia, the state, would need to become a director of the club as part of any proposed takeover is subject of an arbitration dispute which has been delayed until early next year.

Financier Amanda Staveley and Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah were among those figures who urged the Government to intervene so that this hearing was held in public when it was originally due to be held earlier this summer.

However, in July, a DCMS spokesman told The Chronicle that, ‘as the governing body in this instance it is up to the Premier League to come to a conclusion as quickly as possible and with due regard to transparency.’

Tonight, 8.00 at St James’ Park

WHEN the fixture list came out in June, everybody knew Steve Bruce needed to get off to a good start to keep his critics – and there are many – at bay.

Yet here we are approaching game five with no wins and just one point on the board so far.

Can it get any better against Leeds?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side has not had a great start but don’t read too much into that.

Like Newcastle, the Whites were battered at Manchester United and also lost to a very good Liverpool team.

They have picked up points at Everton and Burnley so they are more than capable of a result on the road.