By Tyne-Talk
September 14 2008

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has announced he is officially putting the club up for sale after listening to the fans and granting them their wish. He has however made it clear that a sale could take a while and may not happen at all. Sadly for Ashley he also claimed that he feared he and his family would be the target of assault and that it is for this reason he is giving up on the club he has ploughed money into but upset the fans to the point of protest.

Mike Ashley bought Newcastle United FC for £134million in 2007 investing another £110million to decrease the club's debt. He official statement read:

"I have really loved taking my kids to the games, being next to them and all the fans. But I am now a dad who can't take his kids to a football game on a Saturday because I am advised that we would be assaulted. Therefore, I am no longer prepared to subsidise Newcastle United.

I am putting the club up for sale. I hope that the fans get what they want and that the next owner is someone who can lavish the amount of money on the club that the fans want.

This will not be a fire sale. Newcastle is now in a much stronger position than it was in 2007. It is planning for the future and it is sustainable. I am still a fan of Newcastle United.

We, my kids and I, have loved standing on the terraces with the fans, we have loved travelling with the away fans and we have met so many fans whose company we have enjoyed. We have absolutely loved it but it is not safe anymore for us as a family.

One person alone can't manage a Premiership football club and scout the world looking for world class players and stars of the future. It needs a structure and it needs people who are dedicated to that task.

It needs all members of the management team to share that vision for it to work. You want me out. That is what I am now trying to do but it won't happen overnight and it may not happen at all if a buyer does not come in.

You don't need to demonstrate against me again because I have got the message. Any further action will only have an adverse effect on the team. As fans of Newcastle United you need to spend your energy getting behind, not me, but the players who need your support.

I am determined that Newcastle United is not only here today, but that it is also there tomorrow for your children who stand beside you at St James' Park."

Ashley Calls It All Off

Discussion started by TyneTalk (IP Logged), 14/09/2008 20:13

TyneTalk
14/09/2008 20:13

Ashley Calls It All Off

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lostmekeys
14/09/2008 20:11

i think there is a real dignity about this, and it just underlines the fact that whatever happened last week is a real shame, and has done nobody any good, except maybe our rivals in the prem.

would have rather more to say but my good lady wife tells me her waters have broken, so WAHEEEY, we're off to maternity!

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MissC
14/09/2008 20:11

Quote:

Mike Ashley
But I am now a dad who can't take his kids to a football game on a Saturday because I am advised that we would be assaulted.

If this is true I'm disgusted.

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MissC
14/09/2008 20:13

Aww Congrats Exile...

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ste_ne24
14/09/2008 20:24

lol i liked the way he still had time to finish his post. 'had fire pet, i know it hurts but let us finish this!' congrats and all the best mate!

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lostmekeys
16/09/2008 10:05

thanks guys, mother and baby doing well. and i'm not that bad, i just logged on while we waited for her mother to come and look after our older son so we could go to hospital! she'd have killed me if she was just stood by the door waiting while i came on here!

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nathan robinson
16/09/2008 12:04

Congratulations!!

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tunyc
16/09/2008 22:49

Congrats, Exile! Enjoy it!

But I don't see dignity in this. I see a lot of subtle sneers.

Subsidize?!
Like how Bill Gates subsidizes Microsoft? F00k off, man, it's your business venture. If you sell for a profit, Mike, into whose account will that go?

Lavishing money?
Yeah, Mike was pretty sure that you don't have to spend anything in the transfer window in order to guarantee a modicum of success. Or maybe we're just too demanding, wanting an owner who wants the club to succeed. But yes, I'll admit, I want an owner who might be willing to spend more on transfers than is brought in, especially when even my grandmother knows our squad is inadequate.

I'm not impressed with this statement at all.

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Scotty - mackem
16/09/2008 23:18

Congratulations Exile!

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NicoGF
17/09/2008 01:59

I'd give one more chance to the guy.

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