Ex-United chairman Chris Mort rules out a return

Oct 1 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

FORMER Newcastle chairman Chris Mort has denied he is on the verge of returning to Tyneside following reports he had been asked to help owner Mike Ashley find a buyer for the club.

Mort’s departure in June arguably began the decline of Ashley’s regime with Derek Llambias proving to be a completely different type of operator in a new role of managing director.

It was Llambias’ row with former manager Kevin Keegan over the club’s failing transfer policy which sparked the crisis that has forced Ashley to put the club up for sale.

Keegan insisted he could no longer tolerate boardroom interference in transfers and that he could no longer work with Llambias and executive director (football) Dennis Wise. Ashley, though, stayed loyal to his friends from London and the Magpies were plunged into the turmoil which has seen them lose their last five games.

The return of Mort would have been welcomed by the vast majority of supporters who recognised he had worked hard to give the Ashley regime a solid start at St James’s Park. He was also a good link between the manager and an owner who has never been interested in the day-to-day running of the club.

Mort is frustrated by the events which have followed his decision to return to London to resume his career as a corporate lawyer with Freshfields, but he is not interested in coming back, even if it was just to help with the sale of the club.

He said: “I’ve seen the reports in the media about me working for Newcastle United again but they aren’t true I’m afraid. I’m heading back to North America later this week which is where I’ve been working over the summer.

“I haven’t done any work for Newcastle United since I left in June. While the company I work for, Freshfields, may help Mike Ashley with the sale of the club I am not doing so.”

Seymour Pierce, the investment bank which has been put in charge of finding a buyer for Ashley, have indicated there are as many as seven different consortiums interested in taking over, although an acceptable offer has still not been received.

Ashley is looking for £300m to relinquish control, but the only firm offer has been made by a Nigerian consortium who are only willing to pay around £200m because they want to make at least £50m available

for the purchase of players. Although United fans will be hoping for a quick change in ownership, The Journal understands it could be a matter of months, rather than weeks, for a deal to be agreed.

Kinnear has claimed he will only be in charge of the side for six to eight games after signing a short-term contract, but there is a growing possibility the former Wimbledon manager will be asked to lead the side for a longer period.

Whether he will be able to call on the services of Mark Viduka in that time looks doubtful after it emerged the striker is back home in Australia.

Viduka has not played all season because of an Achilles problem and the 32-year-old has flown to Melbourne for treatment, which is expected to mean he will remain on the sidelines for several more weeks.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could have a struggle to hold on to academy director Richard Money after he was strongly linked with the vacant manager’s job at Grimsby.

Money has been helping coach the first team following the departure of Keegan, Adam Sadler and Terry McDermott three weeks ago.

The former Walsall boss quit the Bescot Stadium in April claiming he had taken the League One club as far as he could and was put in charge of Newcastle’s youth development.

However, with so much uncertainty surrounding the future ownership of Newcastle, Money could be concerned about his long-term future in the North East and could be tempted by an offer from Grimsby. That would leave Kinnear worryingly short of coaching staff with only Chris Hughton and Alan Thompson remaining.