Shearer shocker - former star will be frozen out if Ashley cannot find £100m buyer for Newcastle

[Jimbo 133]

Alan Shearer is in danger of being frozen out at Newcastle United as the club descends into chaos.

 

Owner Mike Ashley has made it clear that fans' favourite Shearer is not his first choice as manager to revive the club after their disastrous relegation from the Premier League.

Alan Shearer

 

The Mail On Sunday can reveal that even if the former striker had succeeded in keeping Newcastle up in his eight games in charge, Ashley would have risked yet more anger from supporters by offering the job to Steve Bruce instead.

 

And with negotiations about the transfer budget and Shearer's personal terms having broken down, it is increasingly unlikely that the pair will be able to form a working partnership.

 

The only hope for fans desperate for Shearer to take over is that Ashley finds someone willing to buy the club from him for a knockdown price of £100million or less. Even then the new owners might not choose to stick with Shearer.

 

While the difficult search for a buyer continues, the football club itself is rudderless because the uncertainty about the future, not to mention a recent raft of redundancies, means no-one is taking important decisions about such issues as contract renewals.

 

'It is an unbelievable situation,' a source revealed. 'The players are due to return for pre-season training in less than a month and nobody knows what's going on. Time is running short and the club needs to get somebody in quickly to sort things out.'

 

But there appears little prospect of Shearer and Ashley resolving their differences or of new owners being found quickly.

 

Financial Mr Fixit Keith Harris is more optimistic about arranging a deal now that Ashley has decided to cut his losses by dropping the asking price. But the servicing of a £40m debt, as well as another £60m in players' contracts, pushes the figure to double the £100m Ashley is now willing to accept and there are not many potential purchasers around.

 

Ashley's best hope appears to be an Omani-based consortium, who have expressed an interest in the club, but now the issue is not just who might accommodate him but how quickly it can be done.

 

The supporters are already voting with their pockets; season-ticket sales are almost non-existent, adding to the financial mess which will make Newcastle an even less attractive proposition.

 

This is Ashley's second attempt at putting the club on the market. Last time there were no takers and unless Harris finds a wealthy benefactor very soon, the sports goods entrepreneur may be forced to limp on as owner.

 

But whatever regime emerges, it is increasingly unlikely to include Shearer.

[Acid 0]

Stop with the weekend bull-fest!

 

[Craig 6314]

Steve Bruce?

 

Mail on Sunday evidently trying to enflame the hositility towards Ashley from our fans by suggesting he wanted to appoint the worst candidate thy could possibly think of.

 

3/10 lads - you'll have to do way better than this. See we're still pulling the headlines though, despite being a lowly Championship club.

[1892 0]

The supporters are already voting with their pockets; season-ticket sales are almost non-existent, adding to the financial mess which will make Newcastle an even less attractive proposition.

 

Maybe because they haven't sent the renewal forms out yet...Maybe?

[Tom 13883]

Everybody but the fans will believe it.

[Park Life 70]

Why would he want Shearer? He doesn't want reflected responsibility, he wants out. My only hope is that AS has he staying power and determination to force his hand.

[Howay 12480]

The supporters are already voting with their pockets; season-ticket sales are almost non-existent, adding to the financial mess which will make Newcastle an even less attractive proposition.

 

Maybe because they haven't sent the renewal forms out yet...Maybe?

At least that means they're technically right about something