Ashley Still Won't Comment Despite Whelan Jibe!
Last updated : 27 March 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor
NEVER trust a quote without a name!
Mike Ashley's associate told Telegraph Sport: "Mike went in there to sort out Newcastle. It was in a bad way financially when he bought it and he has sorted out the financial side and it is going to take him time to sort out the playing side.
"It would be interesting to consider what would have happened if he had not bought it because the business side of it was clearly in financial difficulties.
"So he has saved the club financially and clearly sorting out the football side is taking longer than sorting out the financial side.
"As for the replica shirt jibe, I think that Mike would feel that if people are going to go to football matches they should wear their football shirts if they so wish and that wearing a shirt and a tie to football matches is something that should be confined to the last century."
"I think Mike will just take it all with a big pinch of salt because Dave Whelan is going to be competing with him in the retail world again.
"I just think Mike will laugh it off quite frankly. He certainly won't be taking his comments seriously.
"They are old sparring partners and I suspect the he is commenting on the Newcastle business because those guys are about to re-enter competition on sports retailing because Dave Whelan has just bought back the fitness clubs business of JJB.
"Dave used to own JJB which is the principal competitor of Sports Direct which has been a lot more successful than JJB over the last ten years or so. So he might still be feeling a bit bruised because of that.
"It's no coincidence that the timing of his comments on Mike have reminded people that he is back in the sports retailing ring."
