It has been easy for Amanda Staveley and PIF to get Newcastle fans to buy in to their project – but the owners must never squander the unity currently driving the Magpies…
Say what you must about the Saudi PIF – and there is plenty that absolutely must be said and loudly repeated – but Newcastle’s owners are playing a blinder with their football club.
It’s been little over six months since Amanda Staveley strode in to St James’ Park with the world’s most potent chequebook in her briefcase, and the transformation has been stunning.
PIF, Staveley and the Reuben Brothers bought a wreck – a club tearing itself apart with a squad doing the same, showing more fight among themselves on the training ground than on the pitch, all the while tumbling towards the Championship.
Now look at them. A top-half finish sounds unremarkable without the context of the first half of Newcastle’s season. Taking that into account, it is hard to argue against Eddie Howe being named manager of the year.
‘Something special is stirring at St James’ Park. Strap yourselves in,’ came the warning from Newcastle’s Twitter account on Tuesday night accompanied by the latest and grandest of their much-maligned post-victory team photos, this one featuring the players, staff, their families and a backdrop of around 9,000 Geordies on the Gallowgate.
It’s true. As a consequence of absolutely everyone – players, fans, local media, Ant and Dec – with an interest in Newcastle’s fortunes having bought into PIF’s project, something very special is brewing on Tyneside. And it’s all been so easy.
If ever there was a club ripe for this kind of takeover, it was Ashley-era Newcastle United – the run-down focal point of a one-team, football-daft city, full of fans desperate to feel something other than apathy and spite towards the people running and managing their club.
She never gave up hope.
🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/7MgpIppc8d
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) May 16,…
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