So what is the relationship between Chris Hughton and Ashley?
Always a man to stay clear of any question involving Ashley, yesterday the Newcastle manager pulled down his guard ... for a second.
He didn't say much, but he did say Ashley talks to him ... quite a bit, allegedly.
Chris Hughton: “Mike always does (talk) – he’ll speak to me after every game, whatever the result. I would imagine he’ll be very pleased.
“We’re exactly where we want to be, but it’s a long, hard season, and there are a lot of games, and a lot of points to be fought for.
"We’ve got to make sure we maintain what we’ve got.
“It’s very, very satisfying. We’ve just got to make sure and take it through to the end of the season.
“We know that the reality is that it is where we are on the last day of the season, after game 46, that matters. And that we must keep up our winning sequence if we’re to achieve our ultimate goal of promotion.”