Jimbo 133 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Mike Ashley will step into the void left by Newcastle chairman Chris Mort, who will step down next week, and take complete control of the club. Ashley had promised to take a backseat after his £133 million takeover last June. He immediately appointed Mort, a city lawyer, to oversee a huge structural change at St James’ Park that has moved Newcastle’s powerbase to London. Mort will be replaced in title by Derek Llambias but it is Ashley whose influence will be far greater than in the previous 12 months, in which his new club stagnated. Mike Ashley Ashley wants to create a leaner business than the one he inherited, which had a £70 million debt hanging over it. Kevin Keegan told the billionaire he wanted a stronger working relationship with the boardroom when he was summonsed to London for crisis talks at the season’s close. Now the Sports Direct magnate will personally take boardroom matters in hand. Mort could rejoin him on the board in October, but it will be Ashley’s influence that will be stamped over Newcastle by then. Keegan, who has told friends he will not quit, despite his frustration at largely being a figurehead, has yet to be promised substantial backing in the transfer market and there remain differences within the club in transfer policy. Ashley will now have the final say on all fees and any new contracts, including those for Michael Owen and Stephen Taylor, who both have just 12 months left on their remaining deals. Newcastle forward Obafemi Martins will be fit for the start of the new season, with his ankle problem expected to have cleared in time for pre-season training. The Nigerian forward has attracted interest from Arsene Wenger and has not signed a new deal at St James’ Park. Newcastle’s move for Bafetimbi Gomis puts his future in doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 As if he wasn't already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 So basically The Journal story but with a negative London spin put on it. The way I see it, is that KK has asked for Ashley to get more Hands-on and the big man has responded. Far from being summoned to London for a dressing down, they've listened to what Keegan had to say and reacted to it. But that wouldn't sell papers I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Not that I usually like to post these things, but from what I was told the meeting in London had been planned for ages. He wasn't summoned, he didn't demand a meeting and so on. Was pre-arranged long before it happened. Who knows though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ketsbaia 0 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 (edited) Shock fucking horror. The man who owns the club wants to take control. Since i've been away (and still ma) i've heard various slurs on Ashlet to do with season ticket prices, which I can understand, but this story does seem a bit OTT. We need to be ran professionally and there is no doubt in my mind that Ashley knows that. No more big wages ala Man United but more sound, quiet progess such as Pompy and Blackburn. I think Keegan will be the blerk to see us through this because he's not daft. SJH had the money to compete AND run the club as a business, Ashley needs to focus on the latter. EDIT - For those own about the lack of signings, I feel your pain but I understand it's going to take a few more weeks for us to get in who we want. Why? Because it did last year and we mamaged to get the five or six players we 'we needed'. Just wait. Edited June 12, 2008 by Ketsbaia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 He's always been in total control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 He's always been in total control. Aye it's bizarre they are trying to pretend that Mort did anything of any real issue without consulting Ashley, and I hardly think he's suddenly interested in the day to day decisions that he employs someone like Mort to sort out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 He's always been in total control. Aye it's bizarre they are trying to pretend that Mort did anything of any real issue without consulting Ashley, and I hardly think he's suddenly interested in the day to day decisions that he employs someone like Mort to sort out. Not really sure what's to gain in putting out this stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 He's always been in total control. Aye it's bizarre they are trying to pretend that Mort did anything of any real issue without consulting Ashley, and I hardly think he's suddenly interested in the day to day decisions that he employs someone like Mort to sort out. Not really sure what's to gain in putting out this stuff. Lack of any deep UK interest in Euro 08 I guess, pages to fill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakehips 0 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Keegan's pissed off because he's just a figurehead, eh ???? What a load of absolute shite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Almost every paragraph is shite... Mike Ashley will step into the void left by Newcastle chairman Chris Mort, who will step down next week, and take complete control of the club. Ashley had promised to take a backseat after his £133 million takeover last June. He immediately appointed Mort, a city lawyer, to oversee a huge structural change at St James’ Park that has moved Newcastle’s powerbase to London. Didn't Mort spend most of his time here over the last year while he was in charge? Mort will be replaced in title by Derek Llambias but it is Ashley whose influence will be far greater than in the previous 12 months, in which his new club stagnated. Ashley wants to create a leaner business than the one he inherited, which had a £70 million debt hanging over it. Kevin Keegan told the billionaire he wanted a stronger working relationship with the boardroom when he was summonsed to London for crisis talks at the season’s close. Isn't that what Mort was brought in for? The full time job of restructuring. Now that is done and the club is ticking over nicely, Ashley/Llambias have little to do. Now the Sports Direct magnate will personally take boardroom matters in hand. Mort could rejoin him on the board in October, but it will be Ashley’s influence that will be stamped over Newcastle by then. Again, it already has been. Via Mort. Keegan, who has told friends he will not quit, despite his frustration at largely being a figurehead, has yet to be promised substantial backing in the transfer market and there remain differences within the club in transfer policy. Ashley will now have the final say on all fees and any new contracts, including those for Michael Owen and Stephen Taylor, who both have just 12 months left on their remaining deals. Keegan has acknowledged this repeatedly in the past. He identifies players to get/renew. The chairman does the deal. The approaches for Woodgate and Modric show we'll be spending, there's no need to promise an exact amount that's available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadrian 0 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 the optimist im me thinks keegans got him closer so its easier to get money out of him . the pessimist , he's here to babysit . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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