Premier League - Ashley apologises to Newcastle fans

Eurosport - Wed, 27 May 09:14:00 2009

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley apologised to the club's fans after United's relegation from the Premier League and said talks with interim manager Alan Shearer were ongoing.

FOOTBALL Newcastle boss Alan Shearer looks on as his side are relegated from the Premier League following a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa - 0

"Seeing Newcastle United relegated from the Premier League has been a catastrophe for us all," Ashley said.

Newcastle, under the guidance of former England striker Shearer, their fourth manager of the season, lost 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday to end their 16-year stay in the top flight.

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

"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."

Shearer, who managed just one win from his eight matches in charge, has been widely tipped by the media to extend his stay with his hometown club.

"Bringing Alan Shearer back to Newcastle United was the best decision I have made. Alan and his staff did all they could to try and keep us up in the short space of time they had.

"Talks are now ongoing between us about how we can take this club forward again."

Reuters

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  1. go on the Tom Tom website and you can download all the­ championship grounds and save them into your­ favourites.

    From scott, on Thu 28 May 5:58AM
  2. It bewilders me all this, 'You should've kept­ big sam nonsense'!
    Watch blackburn's progress­ after he has dabbled in the transfer market this­ summer.
    This club, NUFC, has been in steady decline for­ the past 5 years and like Shearer said, EVERYONE needs­ to take some portion of blame and this most certainly­ INCLUDES Sam Allardyce!!!!
    Allardyce signed deadbeats­ like Smith, Viduka, Geremi, Cacapa and last but not­ least, his crowning glory . . . . . . . . . . . . .­ Joey Barton, all on massive salaries and all without­ clauses in case of relegation.
    Tell me, would you want­ ANY of them in YOUR team - enough said!

    From cameron w, on Wed 27 May 9:12PM
  3. humbleman6930, Big Sam?? are you mad? look at the­ "players" he signed, the football we played­ was messy at best and he's still complaining about­ his time with us! oh and he's done wonders at­ blackburn hasn't he??

    From Matt36, on Wed 27 May 8:16PM
  4. JasonP you are so right...Newcastle are no longer a­ Premiership Team...so why are there press announcements­ on here?????

    From diana.moffett, on Wed 27 May 6:56PM
  5. why is this article on the premiership pages it should­ be on the championship pages.lol

    From JASON P, on Wed 27 May 6:32PM
  6. When Keegan was slated to make a come-back a few months­ ago, I said that the "dream" management­ combination would be King Kev and Alan Shearer. At that­ time, nobody took it seriously.

    When the chance of­ getting KK back finally became fact, the number 2­ position was offered to AS but he declined, saying he­ wouldn't want to share the job with KK. But that­ was then, this is now. Now, I think the time is right­ to try again for a KK + AS, combination, provided that­ Mr Ashley is truly contrite and is now prepared to­ offer the conditions that KK was demanding before he­ left, i.e. to be allowed to do the bl**dy job without­ interference from fools and amateurs.

    From Vipson, on Wed 27 May 6:10PM
  7. Leeds. Division 2. Nuff said fool

    From SHAUN, on Wed 27 May 6:02PM
  8. Toon Fans, it is a hard pill to swallow being­ relegated, but its not the end of the world, there is­ always a silver lining. Shearer now gets to build a NEW­ team with the players who want to play for NUFC. For­ starters get rid of the rats, Johnny Foreigners,­ Bartons, and anyone does not understand the passion and­ what it means to play for Newcastle. There is plenty of­ talent in the Tyneside area who would love the­ opportunity to play for Newcastle.

    From starman_123, on Wed 27 May 5:52PM
  9. Mr shearer will sell tickets and shirts, we will still­ get crowds of 40 - 45 thousand week in week out . He­ unlike any other will be given time by both fans and­ staff, he will demand the respect of his players and in­ the main get it as well. He has time to learn the ropes­ of management at a lower level now and without doubt­ will end up as a top manager in the future . The­ championship will be a tough league this year with some­ quality sides battleing for honours unlike the­ premiership which has become so predictible. It is sad­ the clubs now see finishing 5th to 10th as a great­ achivement and lack the motivation and resourses to­ break the top four.

    From anglersworld, on Wed 27 May 5:26PM
  10. Big mistake letting Sam go, you would not have had sexy­ football, but you would have avoided relegation.

    From , on Wed 27 May 5:04PM
  11. Newcastle need to go for Moyes, as good a man as­ Shearer is, you need someone with experience in dealing­ with players and the running of a football club.
    Moyes­ will, in time develop into a smaller version of Fergie,­ and he will get the players to toe the line or they­ will be gone.

    From , on Wed 27 May 5:00PM
  12. my comment for today,
    if ashley believes shearer can do­ the job,then he is very much mistaken,once again he is­ bowing down to toon opinion.
    what is required is a top­ line manager,shearer to keep everyone happy,should be­ number 2.should shearer be allowed to continue as­ number 1,my gut feeling is further decline for­ newcastle united.
    granny.

    From impactclean, on Wed 27 May 1:51PM
  13. erskine sam 257
    ashley as the owner,i am sure will be­ dismayed as much as anyone with relegation.your­ comment, mike ashley should be held responsible, is­ ridiculous in the extreme.i mean ,what sort of­ punishment do you propose.
    We can all appreciate your­ dissapointment,but dont you think you are taking things­ a little too seriously,after all "its just a game­ of football",take a dispirin and calm down,you­ have next season to worry about,and yes,things are­ going to get worse.
    granny.

    From impactclean, on Wed 27 May 1:44PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I hope I can be a well-educated man's someone­ special. I have long legs, blond hairs and blue eyes.­ Im kind, well-educated, humurous and cute. Reach me out­ @ _________________ K is s Mi ll ionaire S C om­ ______________ I will reply to all mails.­ Handle------Lovelybutterfly999--------

    From sexyfish1dff, on Wed 27 May 11:17AM
  15. As for inch high Dennis Wise, he shall be taking his­ money and also doing a runner. What a little @#$% he­ is. Why did Newcastle employ that toeragg in the first­ place?

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 27 May 9:56AM
  16. At the end of the day, Newcastle United got what was­ coming to them. Hull survived by the skin of their­ teeth, although they would have richly deserved the­ same. Their performance was equally shambolic and as I­ have stated in previous comments, those incapable of­ getting at least one point per game and reaching thus­ 38 points, should be given the boot as they­ wouldn't be worthy of any place in the top league.­ I just wonder how my ex work mate Gerardo Guevara from­ the Peterborough City Council must be feeling right­ now. No doubt that nob shall be off to crawl up the­ a.rse of another bunch of wannabe Premierships­ teams....e.g....Wigan..lolololololol..
    To top it all­ of, their neighbours Middlesburgh shall be joining­ them....this couldn't happen to better sides....

    From sappercommando25, on Wed 27 May 9:54AM
  17. Newcastle got what they deserved this season. Fancy­ employing that little drunken thug Dennis Wise in any­ other capacity than toilet attendant is criminal and­ the sole foley/reason that has taken them down! Kevin­ Keegan walked out because of Wise, Joe Kinnear had to­ stand on his throat like in Wimbledon days and Big Al­ to him to "F*!k off"

    From Derek, on Wed 27 May 8:16AM
  18. LeedsLeedsLeeds,
    You should be done for plagiarism pal;­ first saw this last week, saw it tons of times since .­ . . . ALL IN DIFFERENT ID'S.
    YOU ARE A FRAUD!!!

    From cameron w, on Wed 27 May 12:50AM
  19. Hahaha Leeds fans writing poems he must have copy­ pasted it from someone with a brain, how can leeds­ taunt anyone joke of a team club and fans, Im not a­ toon fan but have a lot more respect for them than the­ Leeds thugs.

    From heldersmelder, on Tue 26 May 11:38PM
  20. Actually feel for you guys! As a Leeds fan, and having­ met the toon army both home and away, i can say that­ you are as passionate about your club as we are. Hope­ you don't suffer the way we have over the next few­ years, and look forward to playing you soon.
    Hi to the­ South Shields Crew.

    From rob, on Tue 26 May 11:09PM
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