Mike Ashley: An insight into the Newcastle owner

The dust is settling on Tyneside, a few days after Joe Kinnear’s return to Newcastle United was confirmed (eventually) by the club. Kinnear is now Director of Football, in a move which has left everyone perplexed. However, the Newcastle fans have learnt to always expect the unexpected when Mike Ashley’s around.

In June 2007, Mike Ashley completed his takeover of Newcastle United Football Club. The Geordie faithful had been clamouring for change, and Ashley promised a new start when he wiped away most of the club’s debt. His unconventional style was met with cynicism from those outside the North-West. The fans, however, loved having an owner meeting with them at local bars, and standing in the terraces alongside them in the famous black and white stripes.

On the field things weren’t going so well, and pressure was growing on manager Sam Allardyce. Allardyce had been appointed before the takeover and the fans were turning against him. In January 2008, Sam Allardyce was sacked as Newcastle manager. Thoughts quickly turned to his successor, the first managerial appointment of the Mike Ashley era. Newcastle supporters were delirious with joy when Kevin Keegan was confirmed as their new manager. Ashley achieved God-like status in bringing the ‘messiah’ back to Tyneside.

Things were looking up for Newcastle United. The new owner had appointed an old manager, one who was worshipped by the supporters. A few weeks after Keegan’s return, Mike Ashley made another surprising appointment. Dennis Wise was named an Executive Director, concentrating solely on football matters. The news was questioned by most of the footballing world. It seemed to restrict Kevin Keegan’s power over transfer dealings.

These fears were realised in September 2008 when Keegan left his role as manager. The finger of blame was pointed straight at Wise, and Mike Ashley also took the flak for disrupting the harmony between board and manager. The Geordie faithful dubbed the duo the ‘Cockney Mafia’ and started protesting against them. Ashley announced he would look to sell the club, as the fans ‘wanted him out’. As he set out to do just that, the issue of a new manager had to be addressed.