Premier League - Ashley names Newcastle price

Eurosport - Mon, 08 Jun 10:05:00 2009

Newcastle United owner has annnounced the club is up for sale at an asking price of £100 million.

2008-2009 Newcastle United Mike Ashley - 0

The north-east side were relegated from the lucrative English Premier League on the final day of the season and owner Mike Ashley, who was almost once before hounded out of the club by angry fans, has now decided to sell-up.

"The board of Newcastle United can today (Monday) confirm that the club is for sale at the asking price of £100 million," a club statement said.

"Interested parties should contact Newcastle United (or Keith Harris at Seymour Pierce) for further details.

"The club will not be making any further comment at the present time."

Ashley, a businessman who made his fortune running a chain of sports stores, had no prior connection with Newcastle before buying the club for £135 million in 2006.

He tried to find favour with the fans by attending matches at St James' Park wearing a replica shirt and drinking pints of beer among the spectators.

But he told The Sunday Times last month that he couldn't wait to leave.

"It's been catastrophic for everybody. I've lost my money and made terrible decisions," he admitted.

Ashley got through four managers this season alone and not even installing former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, a hero to supporters, for the final eight games of the season could prevent the Magpies being relegated alongside fellow north-east side Middlesbrough and Midlands-based West Bromwich Albion.

"I am genuinely sorry for everybody for what has happened," Ashley said.

"I never said I was an expert in football clubs. I was just a fan - although a very wealthy fan, but I'm not so wealthy now."

He added: "I put my money into it and I tried my best, but I accept my best was woefully short.

"Seeing Newcastle relegated has been a catastrophe for us all.

"I fully accept that mistakes were made during this and previous seasons, and I am very sorry for that.

"I would like to say sorry to our magnificent supporters who have turned up in their thousands, home and away, up and down the country and who have given the team amazing backing throughout.

"And I would also say sorry to all of the club's hard-working staff, who have gone about their jobs all year long."

AFP

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  1. in my opinion the worst thing Ashley did was bring in­ Wise and undermine Keegan, he certainly wasnt worried­ about the downfall of the club then and he isnt now, he­ just wants some of his investment back

    From the silent assassin, on Tue 9 Jun 10:45AM

  2. ELEPHANTSTONE: Actually Live on a small island between­ Singapore and Indonesia, nice place, 50m from the­ beach, sun drenched paradise.
    However was brought up in­ the north of england, spent a few years in Newcastle,­ lived there, hated the bloody place, was your team win­ the fairs cup, afterwhich got chance to work overseas,­ not been back since.
    Yes sir, its a grim place.

    From , on Tue 9 Jun 10:04AM

  3. Newcastle a 'grim area'..? So, where do you­ hail from I wonder humbleman6930..? No doubt you're­ sat in your Ivory Tower reading this right now! I'm­ really very concerned about the amount of abusive­ threads posted on here.. especially from the­ 'Monkey Mackums' ..with obviously very poor­ memories! Apart from, sirstevejones13.. you are simply­ a disgusting version of a human, who should be ashamed­ of his mindless rants on these pages.

    From Mark, on Tue 9 Jun 8:41AM

  4. 100 million, god what price for a big club, after­ Newcastle can never be classed in that bracket.­ Actually they are where they belong, poor team, from a­ grim area in the uk, better to tow Newcastle out into­ the north sea and let it sink.
    Lets see next season,­ maybe they will struggle in the championship, do a­ Leeds, not sure on that, but they will struggle, unless­ they get a manager, the present one willnot lift them­ out of their present situation.

    From , on Tue 9 Jun 2:04AM

  5. The reason this is "tagged" to the Premier­ league is NUFC dont officially join the championship­ tll the end of summer they are still (offically) a EPL­ team.

    From marc.oconnor16, on Mon 8 Jun 10:33PM

  6. and i'm sure you will let us all know when they do­ Colin . . har har har!

    From cameron w, on Mon 8 Jun 10:19PM

  7. Shepherd and Shearer, must be a joke in there­ somewhere, no doubt somebody will come up with one

    From Colin H, on Mon 8 Jun 9:58PM

  8. Nice one Colin; i do have a confession . . . sometimes­ you even make me laugh - har, har, har!

    From cameron w, on Mon 8 Jun 9:56PM

  9. ah cameron, the most battered, bruised and abused­ person on all theses topics, fu ck me you deserve a­ medal for what you have put up with.

    From Colin H, on Mon 8 Jun 9:54PM

  10. Colin, behave yourself now; your acting like the king­ of turds again . . .har, har, har, har not!
    We all know­ Freddy Shepherd and his consortium are buying the club;­ so you can all forget about your dream of NUFC and­ League-1. At least with Freddy Shepherd we know what we­ are getting; he made mistakes last time, but he is­ wiser, as are we all!
    I just hope and pray ashley buys­ another club after this; then i will be on your pages­ (not yours personally colin) and i will be loving it!

    From cameron w, on Mon 8 Jun 9:34PM

  11. Ill buy the club for 50 penneth

    From Sean, on Mon 8 Jun 9:25PM

  12. You can see how the sale is going, go to Ebay and look­ under toys, har har har har har

    From Colin H, on Mon 8 Jun 9:05PM

  13. You can see how the sale is going, go to Ebay and look­ under toys, har har har har har

    From Colin H, on Mon 8 Jun 9:03PM

  14. Apparently an Arab wishes to buy Newcastle, it's­ Bin Laden, he says he has felt safe hiding in the­ trophy room for years and wishes that to continue, har­ har har har har har har

    From Colin H, on Mon 8 Jun 8:58PM

  15. sucked dry by the biggest @#$% to kick a ball!!!!tsss­ laughing their @#$% off!!!

    From nlwarburton, on Mon 8 Jun 8:43PM

  16. im sure you could get £60mill back if you sold a load­ of players

    From Stevie G, on Mon 8 Jun 8:33PM

  17. Can someone please tell me why this story is tagged to­ the "Premier League" on Eurosport? NUFC is a­ CHAMPIONSHIP club people, and will be for a couple of­ years yet. The club may be worth 100m sometime in the­ future but only with 50-60m of investment, rebuilding,­ and a couple of seasons loosing money in the­ Championship. If someone offered Ashley 35m, he'd­ be wise to take it.

    From Mike D, on Mon 8 Jun 8:28PM

  18. best comment safcalsftm the fans forced big sam out the­ idiots screaming at him from behind the dugout got what­ they deserve he

    From markhan1987, on Mon 8 Jun 8:26PM

  19. safcal 94,
    you are absolutely spot on.

    From impactclean, on Mon 8 Jun 7:38PM

  20. west ham are a massive premiership club, mid table,­ honours gallore, history unparalleled has just sold for­ £100M,so how do you compare that to nufc,you must be­ off your heads £notes running out of your ears,just how­ can anyone justify the price being asked for­ nufc,clearly mr ashley was well and truly ripped off.a­ club without a manager,without a team,players on­ premiership wages guaranteed,headless no hope,you are­ all insane,i mean that nicely you just cannot add-up­ can you,and you still refuse to believe it.granny.

    From impactclean, on Mon 8 Jun 7:37PM
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