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Sir John Hall says no blame attached to Mike Ashley

8 years ago
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Some people have no shame and now Sir John Hall has been having his say on Newcastle United’s plight.

Only days ago it was Freddy Shepherd having his say, who along with Hall are the duo who made their fortunes out of Newcastle United in salaries and dividends as the club rotted, then capped that by delivering us into the hands of Mike Ashley and an even bigger fortunes landing in Shepherd and Hall’s laps.

Earlier this week Shepherd pointed the finger of blame at Rafa Benitez as being at least partly to blame for Newcastle’s relegation.

In the case of Sir John Hall, he absolves Mike Ashley of any blame and instead lays it at the doors of Lee Charnley and Graham Carr.

Hall saying ‘If I was Mike Ashley I’d be very p****** off…He has put the cash in and those purchases…have been hopeless.”

Can’t disagree about the disastrous transfer policy but it is after all, Mike Ashley’s transfer strategy!

He (Ashley) is the one who thinks it is a good idea that after surviving only on the final day of last season, what was needed was a 19 year old, two 20 year olds, a 22 year old and 24 year old from weaker leagues.

As for putting the money in to buy the players in these last two transfer windows, it was simply taken out of the vast profits made by not buying any/decent players in previous transfer windows, leaving Newcastle with a relegation fighting squad. The cash for transfers came out of Newcastle United revenues not Ashley’s personal cash – he even said so himself!

Sir John Hall did a good job initially and when Freddie Fletcher suggested bringing in Kevin Keegan and then persuaded him to, it was a masterstroke.

However, it was unforgivable the way he and Shepherd took fortunes out of the club every season as Newcastle United was failing and ruined the work of Keegan and subsequently Sir Bobby.

Where might the club have been now if instead that money had been reinvested in the club each season?

Sir John Hall talking to The Sun:

“Mike has to get them back up straight away as you can’t afford to stay in the Championship.

“The money is so great in the Premier League and the gap between the divisions will become a real chasm.

“If they don’t get their act together sharpish then it will be tougher and tougher to get back into the upper reaches of the English football and challenge for Europe again.”

“It’s harder than ever now because there are some really tough teams in the Championship.

“If I was Mike Ashley I’d be very p***** off. Mike’s given that leadership to the people at the club and I don’t think they are up to it.

“He has put the cash in and those purchases, which have been made by the staff at St James’ Park, have been hopeless.

“The time is nigh for a complete re-appraisal, you can’t let the existing management of the club stay on.”

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