Former Newcastle United owner Sir John Hall has revealed that current chief Mike Ashley had hoped to make the club a success in Asia when taking charge back in 2007.
The Sports Direct supremo has been at the helm of St James’ Park for over a decade but has endured a tumultuous time in charge, overseeing two relegations as well as a fifth placed finish in the top fight, and currently sit in the bottom three of the Premier League, with the club still said to be up for sale.
Speaking of the Magpies, Hall insisted that Ashley had big plans for the club, but that poor advice has resulted in failure, and that it would cost £800million to turn the club around from its current status – including £300-400million for a takeover.
He told the Chronicle: “He had the intentions of taking the club forward. That’s what he told me, anyway,” Sir John added. He told me he wanted to use the club to help grow his business in East Asia, which I thought would benefit everyone because it would mean Newcastle United would gain a wider fanbase, and grow too.
“But things went wrong – he received some back advice which led him to make poor decisions – and he’s never been able to wrestle that back. I’m sad it hasn’t happened how he thought it might.
“When it comes to Newcastle, you will need to spend £300m or £400m to buy the club, and then another £500m over five years to really make the club competitive if you want to change Newcastle’s fortunes.”
Opinion
It is fair to say that either Ashley was lying through his teeth when telling Hall of his plans for the Magpies, or that the British businessman has made some diabolical decisions which has led to their downfall from English giants to bang-average outfit. It is quite clear that whatever ambition there once was has dissipated into nothingness and it is that lack of targeting future success which has the Toon Army up in arms. However, Hall is doing the club no favours by slapping an eventual fee of £800million to turn things around, for there are going to be very few parties out there who will be able to afford anywhere close to that. If that is going to be the case, then the Magpies are likely going to stand still for quite some time, even if someone does take over, for the fees being splashed about the transfer market make it a club for the very elite, who have billions upon billions to splash on players and secure the talent needed to push them up the table.