Newcastle United takeover: Fans reflect on Mike Ashley years

The Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle United brings Mike Ashley's 14-year reign at St James' Park to an end. How will fans remember the era under the Sports Direct boss?

"It's been the worst period in the club's history for sustained unhappiness and lack of success," according to Alex Hurst.

The host of the True Faith podcast dates his misgivings back to Kevin Keegan resigning in September 2008 after only eight months of his second spell managing the club, whose fans held him in deep affection.

He was later awarded more than £2m for constructive dismissal, external after an employment tribunal panel agreed that in signing Uruguayan midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez against Keegan's wishes, the club had breached his contract. The report said the signing was a "favour" to two influential South American agents.

"Keegan leaving was the first point we thought 'wow, there is something seriously wrong here'," Alex said.

"We thought the guy [Ashley] doesn't know what he's doing or it's almost an act of self-harm."

The resignation led to an angry stand-off between fans and the owner and Ashley put the club up for sale for the first time since buying it in 2007.

"I have the interests of Newcastle United at heart. I have listened to you. You want me out," he said.

It was the start of some tumultuous years including two relegations, appointing Joe Kinnear twice as manager, renaming St James' Park after Sports Direct, the sacking of manager Chris Hughton, the dismantling of his Championship-winning team and the departure of the much-admired Rafa Benitez.

"Any time there was a good feeling around the club it seemed like Mike Ashley deliberately tried to pull everyone back down to earth with a dreadful decision that served no-one's interests but his own," Alex said.

"Anyone who's had anything to do with this regime has only got negative things to say. There's a consistent theme and it's Mike Ashley," he claims.

"It's been an era of divide and conquer," Neil Mitchell says.

He believes Ashley intended to "break the fan-base down and deliver announcements at the most opportune moment to hurt".

Another bombshell came in 2016, when an employment tribunal found midfielder Jonas Gutierrez was dropped because of his cancer diagnosis.

The Argentine international provided "the standout moment" of the Ashley era for fan Jamie Smith by returning to the side "having beaten cancer, staring out Ashley from the pitch after scoring the goal that saved us from relegation".

Gutierrez, along with Alan Shearer, Hughton and Keegan, are "club heroes shamefully treated" in Jamie's eyes.

But, what will Newcastle look like without Ashley?

When he took over, Newcastle had £65m in external debt. Thanks to a £144m interest-free loan from Ashley down the years, that was cleared, although £33m was subsequently paid back to him.

Newcastle's most recent accounts for the last full season before the Covid pandemic were published on 30 May 2020 and covered the year up to 30 June 2019, when they finished 13th in the Premier League under Benitez.

Turnover was £176m, a fall of £2m on the previous year, but the club made a profit after tax of £34.7m - up from £18.6m in 2018.

"Unless I had come into the club, it might not have survived," Ashley has said.

On the pitch, as well as twice suffering relegation from the top flight, Newcastle have only amassed three top-10 Premier League finishes under Ashley.

The highlight was clinching fifth in 2012, but it "wasn't built upon and was squandered in almost record time," Alex says.

Transfer funds were a contentious issue, particularly under Benitez, but it is unfair to suggest money was never forthcoming.

A "French revolution" took place between 2011 and 2013 - by August 2013 there were 11 French players in the squad - while almost £80m was invested in 2015-16, but the club still went down.

The following pre-season, Benitez - tasked with winning promotion - spent more than £50m, which he recouped through high-profile exits.

That outlay was a rare luxury for the Spaniard who, in 2019, approached the end of his contract. Having failed to agree new terms, an acrimonious split led to protests as thousands boycotted St James' Park.

"The hope was under Benitez he could have turned us into a real force, but again, that collapsed," says Emil Franchi from True Faith.

Since the Spaniard's departure, current Magpies' boss Steve Bruce has endured an uneasy relationship with the club's fans.

Last season United managed just six wins up to April, before a late surge saw them finish 12th in the Premier League.

This term they have yet yet to register a league win after seven matches and are languishing in the relegation zone.

Speculation is rife that Bruce's tenure may be doomed following the takeover.

The club's "shambolic" transfer policy compares to a "Sports Direct approach of buy it cheap and move it on," says Jamie Smith.

The profit made from selling Moussa Sissoko, Yohan Cabaye and Ayoze Perez offers some vindication for Ashley. But Emil argues they were among "the countless players we let slip away through lack of ambition".

Before this season, a disregard for cup competitions saw a failure to progress past the FA Cup fourth round in 13 attempts.

"Newcastle turned from a football club into something that just exists," according to Neil.

This takeover is controversial and not without opposition due to Saudi Arabia's record of human rights abuses and the notorious killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Amnesty International has urged the Premier League to change its owners' and directors' test "to address human rights issues" in light of the takeover.

It said: "The Premier League needs to better understand the dynamic of sportswashing and tighten its ownership rules."

Supporters have not been oblivious to these issues, with hundreds discussing the takeover at a virtual meeting organised by Chi Onwurah, Labour's Newcastle Central MP.

There was "no ambition other than to stay in the Premier League" under Ashley, says Jamie, who wants club legends "welcomed back" under the new owners.

"The season before Ashley took over we were in Europe, so it's not outside the realms of possibility that those days will be back," says Alex.

He hopes the takeover will rekindle the love of football for "tens of thousands of fans who've walked away".

The takeover offers Neil new "hope, joy and the ability to dream".

"We stand literally at the potential dawn of a whole new era," he says. "The way the game has changed this kind of deal potentially pushes the club to the next level.

"Purely as a fan I want to enjoy the football again. We have had 14 years of lost hope and soulless meandering. I want pride and passion and joy to return.

"To be able to stand proud of the club on global stage will be amazing and the sky seems like it could be the limit."

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