Publications
Partners
London - There was a time when Newcastle owner Mike Ashley gave the impression, in public at least, that he cared about the team and that it was more than just a profit-making offshoot of his sports retail empire.
It wasn't just the way Ashley would squeeze into a tightly-fitting Newcastle jersey and down pints of beers with supporters, or the crowd-pleasing managerial appointments of club legends Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer.
Even when the "for sale" sign was put up at St. James' Park in 2008, after the relationship with fans soured, the billionaire owner of Sports Direct let it be known that criticism of his ownership was biting.
