In the summer of 2007 Michael James Wallace Ashley bought a majority of shares from Sir John Hall and Freddy shepherd for about £ 135 million and consequently took over the full control of Newcastle United football club. It's important to note that the club was bought without the proper due diligence by the financial men. Hence unknowingly also acquiring millions in debt too. The first of his corporate decisions was to install Chris Mort as the chairman of the club.
For the season 2007 – 08 Freddy shepherd had already installed Sam Allardyce as the manager (one of the highest paid) of the club, who himself had already brought in some of the worst players in the history of the club. The season started well for the Toon with a win at Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the season. But the good start was only transitory and it got progressively worse to the point where the manager got the sack after a drab draw with stoke city at the Britannia.
In the replay of the FA cup third round, former favorite Kevin Keegan was unveiled as the new boss and United went on to win the match 4-0. Ironically enough, Kevin keegan’s first match was against Bolton - the same team that Big Sam had to face. That season Newcastle finished 12th with 43 points.
One thing that stuck out like a sore thumb in the 2007 – 08 season was the appointment of Dennis Wise as Executive Director (more like director of football), Tony Jimenez as Vice president (player recruitment) and Jeff Vetere as technical coordinator.
As one would imagine this did not go down too well with Keegan and to be fair would not go own with any manager. In addition Chris mort had left the club and was replaced by Derek llambias who took charge as the Managing Director.
The season 2008 – 09 proved to be a season which any Geordie would really like to forget. After a half decent start to the season, the signings of Ignacio Gonzalez and Xisco and the departure of James Milner to Aston Villa started a kind of a domino effect which put the club in a perilous position.
Keegan resigned and sued the club for constructive dismissal. In his defence Gonzalez spent most of the season on the treatment table and Xisco on the bench. Bowing to the fan pressure Mike Ashley put the club up for sale with Keith Harris the middleman of Seymour pierce.
Joe Kinnear was appointed initially on a month to month basis and steadied the ship a little but after his heart scare he was unable to continue. The April fool’s day in 2009 brought about news that Alan shearer will be taking charge of the club for the final 8 games of the season. Originally, the fans began to believe the news was a joke, in alignment with April Fool's Day. However it was true and shearer was installed. He eventually could not save the club from relegation winning only one of those eight games. To be honest, in the last part of the season it was like watching a man suffering from a fatal disease dying every day.
The season 2009 – 10 began with a lot of uncertainty: for one the club remained up for sale with alleged interest from parties across the globe, including one of NUFC fan, Barry Moat. The £ 100 million asking price also brought together Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) with a view to supporters owning the club a la Barcelona. The aftermath of relegation had begun with the departures of Obafemi Martins, Damien Duff, Sebastian Bassong and Habib Beye. If it was not bad enough till then a 6-1 defeat by league 1 side Leyton Orient taught plenty.
Eventually Chris Hughton was given the role of caretaker manager and life on the pitch began to pick up, the club making a decent start to life in the second tier of English football. Only brief hitch coming when in a run of 4 games the club drew the first 2 and lost the last 2 matches. Things remained calm on the pitch but off the pitch a fight between Andy Carroll and Steven Taylor threatened to derail the club’s promotion charge.
Thankfully that did not transpire and club clinched promotion when Cardiff city and Nottingham Forest drew 0-0 and clinched the league title by beating Plymouth Argyle 2-0. The Magpies making one of the longest trips to Devon via bus thanks to the Icelandic ash cloud.
The defining moment came when Kevin Keegan won his court case and was awarded 2 million in damages when he had claimed 25 million. The repercussions of that could have been catastrophic, with reports suggesting the club’s home ground and the training ground could be mortgaged and would go into administration.
Like a renewed soul, Newcastle United came back to the Barclays Premier league with a sole aim of survival. The goal for the season remained largely on track but with a few glitches. Ashley fired the much admired Chris Hughton and appointed a Londoner in Alan Pardew. On 31st January 2011 Ashley sold Andy Carroll to Liverpool in a record deal for any British player worth £ 35 million. Then came the game of many a BPL season when Magpies drew 4-4 with Arsenal after trailing 0-4 at half time. Newcastle duly avoided drop and went on to finish 12th in the final standings although the position should have been 8th.
The season 2011 – 12 was all about progression and reaching that next level. With the effort made by everyone including the coaching staff, playing staff we managed to get unanticipated 5th position playing some very decent football. The only glitch coming when Ashley renamed the revered St. James’s Park, as the Sports Direct Arena. Needless to say that did not go down with anyone. And I mean anyone.
I will say that Newcastle United have come a full circle in the first five year plan under Ashley. It’s like a J curve effect in economics when a policy decision leads to negative effect first before picking up and giving required results. Thanks to Ashley, Newcastle now have a great transfer policy, great scouting system, great manager, financial soundness and football supporters all across the country, in envy of the club.
What does not kill you makes you stronger. That is something that we can say about Mike Ashley and his time at NUFC as the club is now better than ever and we hope that is for good and long may it continue.
Adversities are the memories remembered in times of tranquility, and with new season still some weeks away and the anniversary close, we thought this was the right time for us to share our thoughts with you fans.
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