Newsletter

Get your daily update and weekly newsletter by signing up today!

Opinion

Ultimate Mike Ashley nightmare at Newcastle United could now be imminent

4 years ago
Share

Mike Ashley registered the holding company St James Holdings on 21 May 2007.

Within 48 hours he was effectively the new owner of Newcastle United.

As on 23 May 2007, it was announced that Mike Ashley had bought John Hall’s 42% shareholding, which meant a total buyout was only a matter of time.

Freddie Shepherd claimed that he did everything he could to stop the takeover happening…

However, he ‘eventually’ stuffed Ashley’s cash in his pockets and the next stage of the Sports Direct supremo taking full control was in the bag.

The final step then was once Mike Ashley reached a certain percentage of the Newcastle United shareholding, all of the NUFC fans with a handful of shares each, had no choice but to sell to Ashley as legally he could enforce that.

We are now approaching thirteen years of his ownership, thirteen long years.

As a Newcastle United fan, like the rest of you I have never had any expectations of our club winning anything.

We have all lived in hope of this happening but that is very different to expectation.

I have gone through the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s without a trophy.

We have had some near misses and as well as the 1995/96 Premier League ‘so close’ season, I think the 2000 FA Cup was when we came really close.

We were the better team against Chelsea in the semi and deserved to win.

If we had done, I am convinced we would have beaten a poor Aston Villa in the final, just as Chelsea did.

Is it really 20 years since that happened (didn’t happen)?

In 2000, that was our third season in a row at Wembley.

Now, we are suddenly only one step from Wembley once again.

By beating two League One clubs and West Brom’s reserves we find ourselves only 90 minutes (and possibly extra time/penalties) away from Wembley once again.

It might be Manchester City but Newcastle are at home and the last four at SJP have seen two draws and a win, so everything to play for.

I have always thought that if our club ever did win something, it would come in the strangest way and/or at the most unexpected time.

My ultimate Mike Ashley nightmare at Newcastle United could now be imminent…

Thursday morning saw an exclusive in The Times, saying it is now all but inevitable that we are going to see matches moved behind closed doors to help deal with the Coronavirus spread.

I think now it is written in the stars.

Newcastle United are going to win the 2020 FA Cup.

However…you, me, everybody that loves NUFC will not be there to see it.

Instead, the Magpies will lift the trophy in an almost empty stadium.

The only Newcastle ‘fans’ that will be there to see it, will be a small number of club officials.

Mike Ashley, Lee Charnley, Justin Barnes and Keith Bishop will be able to tell the grandkids that they were there the day that Newcastle United ended their trophy drought.

If you still have any doubts on the above scenario playing out.

The FA Cup final will be played on 23 May 2020.

Exactly 13 years to the day since Mike Ashley bought John Hall’s shares.

Talk about lucky for some…

Share

If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk

Have your say

© 2024 The Mag. All Rights Reserved. Design & Build by Mediaworks