United owner 'has extended deadline'

Oct 8 2008 The Journal

NEWCASTLE United owner Mike Ashley has extended his deadline for offers for the club, reports suggested last night.

Speculation suggested the billionaire sports tycoon had demanded to see all offers for the club by midnight last night.

But it is thought prospective bidders will now have until October 17 to register a firm interest, as unease among Newcastle supporters grows.

Investment bankers Seymour Pierce, under chairman Keith Harris, have been handed the task of selling the business and have been contacted by at least eight interested parties.

And despite the deadline extension, it is thought any sale may not take place until the end of November as potential purchasers carry out due diligence and plan for life after Ashley at St James’s Park.

Ashley signalled his intention to offload the club he bought for £134.4m on September 14 in the wake of concerted protests over his regime.

Fans responded angrily after Kevin Keegan’s resignation as manager, citing interference from boardroom level in the club’s recruitment policy.

But last night Steve Wraith, former fans’ liaison officer and editor of the Players Inc. fanzine, said fans had to be patient if they wanted to see the situation resolved.

He said: “These things don’t happen overnight. Previously Ashley has managed to pull off his deals quicker than Linford Christie running the 100m but this deal is likely to happen out of the blue. There’s a lot of nothing happening at the moment and there’s an air of anticipation among the fans.

“I just think for us we need a bit of stability, and I hope that common sense prevails and Ashley puts the club up for a reasonable price.”

A Newcastle United supporters’ group last night urged club sponsors and advertisers to cut their ties with Mike Ashley in a bid to pile pressure on the under-fire owner to sell up.

The newly-formed Newcastle United Supporters Club (NUSC) issued an ultimatum to the club’s main backers Northern Rock and kit supplier Adidas to sever their business relationship with Ashley.

The organisation claims a financial attack on the billionaire sports tycoon is the best way for fans to end his time at St James’s Park.

And they say if the club sponsors and advertisers fail to respond they will boycott buying their merchandise and using their services.

A statement released by the NUSC organisation said: “What is clear is that Mike Ashley is not acting quickly enough to end his disastrous relationship with our club.

“The NUSC, with a fast growing membership, will soon be writing to the club’s main sponsors and advertisers to request that they end their business relationship with a Mike Ashley-owned Newcastle United.

“If the nightmare scenario of an Ashley-owned Newcastle United continues to next summer, then we will organise a highly visible and energetic campaign amongst supporters to boycott any new kit and merchandise being sold by Adidas.”