Ashley Looks For Quick Newcastle Sale

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has put the club up for sale again and is believed to have dropped his asking price to around £80m to push through a quick deal.

Ashley, who bought Newcastle in 2007 for £134.4m, admitted to the media that his brief reign had been full of mistakes culminating in the club being relegated from the Premier League at the end of this season.

He stated: ‘It’s been catastrophic for everybody. I’ve lost my money and made terrible decisions. Now I want to sell as soon as I can. I am genuinely sorry for everybody for what has happened.

‘I never said I was an expert in football clubs. I was just a fan – although a very wealthy fan, but I’m not so wealthy now. I put my money into it and I tried my best, but I accept my best was woefully short.

‘Seeing Newcastle relegated has been a catastrophe for us all. I fully accept that mistakes were made during this and previous seasons, and I am very sorry for that.

‘I would like to say sorry to our magnificent supporters who have turned up in their thousands, home and away, up and down the country and who have given the team amazing backing throughout.

‘And I would also say sorry to all of the club’s hard-working staff, who have gone about their jobs all year long.’

Newcastle’s traumatic season, in which they went through four managers, began with the departure of popular boss Kevin Keegan in September, amid rumours of disputes over the club’s transfer policy.

Ashley initially put the club up for sale in October, for a speculated asking price of around £300m, but when he struggled to find a buyer he decided to take Newcastle off the market in December.