Is Mike Ashley the worst football club owner ever?

Words by Kevin Doocey on


Ashley - One of the worst owners of a football club

It’s not funny really, how messed up we are. I’m not one for shifting the blame and allow things to justify themselves but Mike Ashley’s tenure at Newcastle United is far from laughable. The hopes and expectations when he took over were pretty high, the couple of men who voiced their concerns over his takeover were looked on is if they had two heads. Eventually them two guys turned into a group but still, the moderate Toon supporter backed the billionaire owner who invested nearly £300m into their beloved NUFC. However when Keegan was appointed, frustration upon Ashley eased, that was, until he was ‘forced’ the resign because of his unworkable situation. Then that group turned into a mob, now here we are today, writing negative stuff about Ashley, because there’s nothing positive to write about him.

Fortunately there are a couple of men who challenge him for the worst ownership and I think they might just about take it. Ironically (and sadly) Joe Kinnear was involved, indeed with both Ashley and Wimbledon. Wimbledon had no stadium of their own and a meagre transfer budget, however the Irishman, Kinnear was defying all odds and getting comfortable mid-table finishes with them in the top division, or the Premier Division. Then a couple of Norwegian business men took over and fired Joe Kinnear straight away, thinking he wasn’t good enough. That year Wimbledon were relegated and were in free-fall before picking up the pieces, somewhat in the last 5 years.

So, who’s the worst owner out of them? A single English businessman who made his millions from sport store chains and invested in a big English club only to get them relegated in his second year? Or is it, two Norwegians , who messed up a perfectly working system that involved Joe Kinnear? There’s a lot in common there, frighteningly alike.

Comments welcome.


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