And I noticed the Toon owner has taken some stick from certain quarters for "sticking his nose into the manager's business".
Which, let's be honest, is hardly right.
Like it or not - Ashley OWNS the club - and in effect he can do what the hell he likes.
The fact he is willing to splash the cash - and £10m is hardly short change - is refeshing to say the least.
Ashley was there alongside chief scout Graham Carr as Newcastle consider their next move for the Gabon striker who is also thought to be interesting Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool and who they had also scouted in the January transfer window before he revealed a preference to at least temporarily remain in France.
Aubameyang, valued at around £10 million, has this season scored 16 goals and is thought to have been impressed by the Newcastle owner's presence there but a striker is not Newcastle's only target as Fabricio Coloccini's imminent departure and injuries to Mathieu Debuchy and Massadio Haidara have again left them short in defence.
Hands on? Well Freddy Shepherd and Douglas Hall toured the world one season when Sir Bobby was the gaffa, travelling to Spain, Holland, Australia and Brazil looking at players ... and we went the summer without a single signing!
And in Brazil they were actually kicked out of the board room of one club, with the club chairman describing them as "time-wasting idiots!"