Billionaire buys into Newcastle United

Discussion in 'Newcastle United' started by JaredSS07, May 23, 2007.

  1. JaredSS07

    JaredSS07 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 6, 2005
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Billionaire businessman Mike Ashley's St James Holdings Limited have announced the acquisition of approximately 41.6 per cent of Newcastle United. The group paid more than £55 million from Sir John Hall's family.

    Link


    All I can say is... wow.
     
  2. Trackman20

    Trackman20 Member

    May 14, 2003
    New York City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hopefully they'll put some pressure on Fat Freddy now and we can have a financial revolution! :)
     
  3. mdfc

    mdfc Member

    Jul 12, 2004
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  4. mdfc

    mdfc Member

    Jul 12, 2004
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    43 years old! Suprised at how young he is for a billionaire. Britian's answer to Howard Hughes? Also no pictures exist of this guy since the 70s?
     
  5. Trackman20

    Trackman20 Member

    May 14, 2003
    New York City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    "Newcastle United

    On 23rd May 2007, Ashley bought 41.6% of Newcastle United. it is expected he will try and buy the remaining shares, to make him the complete owner of Newcastle United."
     
  6. JaredSS07

    JaredSS07 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 6, 2005
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sounds awesome to me.

    Do you think he will buy all the shares and remove it from the stock exhange?
     
  7. Trackman20

    Trackman20 Member

    May 14, 2003
    New York City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    According to Wikipedia...he is expected to make a push to buy the remainder of the club. Seems like a fairly odd character though.
     
  8. Trackman20

    Trackman20 Member

    May 14, 2003
    New York City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    From SkySports:

    Billionaire businessman Mike Ashley has bought a 41.6 per cent stake in Newcastle ahead of a proposed takeover.

    Ashley, who made his fortune in retail and in February floated Sports Direct, has paid Sir John Hall and his family £55million for the stake.

    Ashley has offered to buy the rest of the club's shares at the same price, which would value the St James' Park outfit in the region of £133million.

    Ashley confirmed: "I am delighted to have this opportunity to invest in Newcastle United.

    "The club has a fantastic infrastructure, for which Sir John and the board must take much of the credit."

    Former Magpies chairman Hall, who will remain life president, has welcomed the prospect of a handover.

    "It is now time for me to move on and let others take up the challenge of competing in the global marketplace," said Hall.

    "Mike Ashley is a major player in the sporting world and I am convinced that he is the right person to take my place and take the club forward."

    Stock Exchange rules mean that St James' Holdings Limited, Ashley's bid vehicle, must now make a cash offer for the remaining shares, around 29.8 per cent of which belong to chairman Freddy Shepherd.
     
  9. frasermc

    frasermc Take your flunky and dangle

    Celtic
    Scotland
    Jul 28, 2006
    Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    he does seem like a very, very secretive guy. strange he'd want to buy into a premiership club and all the media attention it brings.

    my company i work for is based in newcastle and i go with my mate to see newcastle two or three times a season so i hope this guy can bring some glory to the club.

    the fans deserve it.
     
  10. Trackman20

    Trackman20 Member

    May 14, 2003
    New York City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    According to some reports, Mr. Ashley is worth 4 Billion.......excellent.
     
  11. colinh9

    colinh9 New Member

    Apr 26, 2003
    NY
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    This happened completely out of the blue, would be amazing to see FF out as well. Should be an interesting couple of days here.
     
  12. mplsTOON

    mplsTOON Member

    Apr 25, 2006
    @ St James Park
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    From what I am understanding while he does have to make a full press for all shares, according to the terms of his agreement to buy, he is only interested in 51%--which would buy out either Freddy or buy out the other private shareholders (small holdings, supporters etc.)--enough to control the goings on. His past dealings show he does not "buy outright" but actually buys majority shares enough to enact change.

    Come Freddy, time to cash out. Ashley seems to know how to turn around companies and brands, without destroying them. He tends to buy, tear things down to rebuild the equity and then partially cash out and keep an interest rather than cashing out and walking away.

    A "Geordie Abramovich" he is not, so we'll see what the Fat One does...
     
  13. mdfc

    mdfc Member

    Jul 12, 2004
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The guy didn't lay down that cash to not be in control of the club. It will happen one way or another.

    This doesn't mean we have to wear Lonsdale jerseys now does it ;) ?
     
  14. Polski

    Polski New Member

    Jan 6, 2007
    Pittsburgh
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Should be interesting to see how this affects the teams makeup next year
     
  15. tigerdave

    tigerdave Member

    Aug 23, 2004
    Buhl, Idaho
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nah, he apparently owns 3 percent of adidas as well. We're good. :cool:
     
  16. Dirt McGirt

    Dirt McGirt Member+

    Jun 20, 2005
    Phoenix, AZ
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is great news. I'm curious about his intentions though and has he meet with any supporters or media to lay out his intentions for the club. I want Shepard out like the rest but at least he spent money to get players.
     
  17. JayRockers!

    JayRockers! Member+

    Aug 4, 2001
    Roman is 40.

    [​IMG]

    Ashley's the fat one on the right. Here's the article that goes with the pic.

    This is only great news if he backs Sam's vision (if he has one). Otherwise, we'll look like Villa again.

    Do your job Fat Fred and sell!

    Thx,

    Jay!
     
  18. JaredSS07

    JaredSS07 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 6, 2005
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wonder why Fred rushed to put in Sam. He had to know that Halls were looking at selling their shares. It makes me think that Fred is looking at staying.
     
  19. Super White Boy

    Super White Boy New Member

    Mar 6, 2005
    Gaithersburg, MD
    Hey Freddy don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!
     
  20. KaptPowers

    KaptPowers Member

    Dec 29, 2003
    Arlington, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In my exuberance about throwing Freddy into the street, I think we should withold judgement on this guy until we know a little more.

















    Ah, screw it. I hope the door does hit FS in his ass on the way out.
     
  21. ToonUSA

    ToonUSA New Member

    Jan 11, 2005
    And there goes my dream of us one day wearing Nike kits...
     
  22. mplsTOON

    mplsTOON Member

    Apr 25, 2006
    @ St James Park
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    That meeting with Supporters and media probably won't happen. Not his M.O. i'm afraid.

    "He doesn't like disclosure very much at all."

    Plenty of head scratching going on about his intentions with his other ventures, and no one seems to know what he does until he does it.
     
  23. mplsTOON

    mplsTOON Member

    Apr 25, 2006
    @ St James Park
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    God forbid that happening. Someday when I'm drunk enough I'll let you in on a little secret...
     
  24. ToonUSA

    ToonUSA New Member

    Jan 11, 2005
    Don't leave me hanging like that...:D
     
  25. Toon³

    Toon³ Member

    Dec 27, 2002
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Hmmm I sort of missed all this :eek:
     

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