As known from:
sky sportscricketworldTorquay United
Best Betting Sites UK / The latest sports news with betting.co.uk / Football News / Mike Ashley’s Reign of Mediocrity is Over at Newcastle

Mike Ashley’s Reign of Mediocrity is Over at Newcastle

Publish Date: 08/10/2021
Fact checked by: James Leeland

And the Saudis are in!

It’s been a whirlwind few days up at Tyneside, as rumblings of the club being bought from Ashley became reality quicker than most could’ve imagined possible. 

newcastle united takeover

Newcastle fans have had this carrot dangled in front of them many times before, with it previously always being brutally ripped away in the end.

It’s been a frustrating situation for Newcastle’s loyal fanbase. They have been very vocal about wanting Mike Ashley out, meanwhile, he has made it clear he wants to sell. Despite a mutual desire to part ways, Ashley has previously struggled to find a buyer for the club for his £300million asking price...until now! 

So who are the new owners of Newcastle United?

Newcastle United is now owned by a consortium that is backed by Suadi Arabia. Assurances have been given that the actual Saudi state will not have any form of control over the football club. However, the Public Investment Club (PIF), which has put up 80% of the dosh for the £305million takeover, will be chaired by Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.

The deal was brokered by British businesswoman Amdana Stavely, who has long-standing connections in the Middle East. She has given fans assurances of how the funds will be spent to develop the club by investing in the youth system, training facilities, the stadium and the local area.

How long before Newcastle “do a City” then?

The takeover now means that Newcastle is now the richest club in world football. Naturally, this has sparked sensationalist headlines linking Newcastle with the likes of Mbappe and citing expectations of an immediate title charge.

However, Stavely and the consortium’s plans appear to be a lot more calculated - similar to Manchester City’s following their takeover back in 2008. Rather than immediately going out and spending big money on superstar signings in a bid to compete for the top prizes, investment in the club and the local area seems to be at the heart of the consortium’s plans - as well as listening to fans.

The Toon Army go absolutely nuts

Despite controversies surrounding the human rights abuses of the Saudi state, it’s safe to say that vast numbers of Newcastle United fans were delighted with the takeover. There were jubilant scenes outside of St. James’ Park on Thursday afternoon, with the Toon Army rejoicing and chanting their way through their songbook.

However, it does seem that the majority of Newcastle United fans are somewhat grounded. No one is expecting an immediate return to the top four and the Champions League. As Geordie legend Alan Shearer summed up in his Tweet, the takeover means that this passionate and loyal, yet long-suffering fanbase can once more can “dare to hope again”.

Under Mike Ashley, Newcastle’s ambition appeared to amount to little more than survival and continued Premier League existence, with even cup competitions giving fans little to be inspired about. If it goes to plan, this new era will very much change that.

Moral questions surrounding Saudi Arabia’s human rights record are, however, unlikely to go away anytime soon.

Read Also
The Bosses’ Lounge (Vol. 31) – Danny Grainger (Workington AFC)
It was a playing farewell to ‘his’ club at the end of ...
The Bosses’ Lounge (Vol. 28) – Neil Reynolds (FC United of Manchester)
He was afforded no smooth transition as he entered the FC United ...
Betfred Promo
The Bosses’ Lounge (Vol. 21) – Pete Wild (FC Halifax Town)
As the lifelong Oldham Athletic supporter overseeing an FA Cup ‘giant-killing’ as ...
The Bosses’ Lounge (Vol. 13) – Liam Watson (Southport)
If a climb to the Vanarama National League North summit is called ...
The Bosses’ Lounge (Vol. 12) – Jon Macken (Radcliffe FC)
Jon Macken has felt firsthand the rush of hitting the net at ...
Bookmaker of the Month
BetMGM UK - Get Your Bonus! Get Your Bonus!
Claim your £30 BetUK Bonus!
Betting Tips
03/02/2025 - 8:00 pm
Stamford Bridge
Tip:
Chelsea to win, Palmer & Madueke both to score any time
11/2
BetMGM UK
02/02/2025 - 4:30 pm
Emirates Stadium
Tip:
First half: Under12.5 shots, under 6 corners
1.95
Bet365
02/02/2025 - 2:00 pm
Brentford Community Stadium
Tip:
Over: 3.5Goals
1.80
Bet365
Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Bonuses
BetMGM UK
BetMGM UK
BetMGM UK Review
4.8/5
Bwin
4.6/5
Betano
4.5/5
kwiff
4.5/5
Betfred
4.5/5
BetMGM UK
BetMGM UK Bonus
Bet £10 Get £40
18+. T&Cs apply.
4.7/5
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs Apply.
Bwin
Bwin Bonus
£20 Back-Up Bet as Free Bet
18+. T&Cs apply.
4.7/5
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | T&Cs apply.
Betano
Betano Bonus
Bet £10 Get £30
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 2x£10 and 1x£5 Free Bets for set football markets + £5 Slots Bonus on Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, max redeem £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
kwiff
kwiff Bonus
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
Betfred
Betfred Bonus
Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets
T&Cs apply, 18+
4.5/5
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.
Who tops our list?
best online casinos
Our Team
James Leeland
James Leeland
Editor
Ginger Joe
Ginger Joe
Expert Punter
Amos Murphy
Amos Murphy
Sports Writer
Mike McKean
Mike McKean
Editor
Jordan Noble
Jordan Noble
Sports Writer
Dave Kuzio
Dave Kuzio
Content Manager
Matthew O'Regan
Matthew O'Regan
Non League Tipster
Alyx Tzamantanis
Alyx Tzamantanis
Editor
The Fund
The Fund
The Fund
Jamie Clark
Jamie Clark
Contributor
Geoff Banks
Geoff Banks
Columnist
Ben Smith
Ben Smith
Tipster
Nathan Joyes
Nathan Joyes
Tipster
Tom Winch
Tom Winch
Tipster
Zack Wilson
Zack Wilson
Contributor
Get the Best Deals via Mail
By providing my e-mail address, I declare that I agree that Betting.co.uk will regularly send me information by e-mail: I can revoke my consent at any time.

Users must be 18+. If you are having trouble with gambling then help and advice can be found at begambleaware.org. Please Play Responsibly.

Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, especially trading leverage products such as CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.
18+GambleAwareeCOGRAGamblers AnonymousGamCareGamStopGambling TherapyCloudflareSSLco² neutral
Close
Place Your Bets! Discover Premium Bonuses at Our Trusted Partners.
BetMGM UK
BetMGM UK Bonus
Bet £10 Get £40
18+. T&Cs apply.
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs Apply.
Bonus Code:
Go to BetMGM UK
Get Bonus
Bwin
Bwin Bonus
£20 Back-Up Bet as Free Bet
18+. T&Cs apply.
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | T&Cs apply.
Bonus Code:
Go to Bwin
Get Bonus
Betano
Betano Bonus
Bet £10 Get £30
T&Cs apply, 21+
18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 2x£10 and 1x£5 Free Bets for set football markets + £5 Slots Bonus on Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, max redeem £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
Bonus Code:
Go to Betano
Get Bonus
×
Your Bonus Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Visit Site