Did Mort Jump Or Was He Pushed?

Mort has overseen the transition from the Shepherd era and but I don't think the man quite expected the pressure he was put under by the media, and I think in recent weeks he has started to buckle.

Fat Fred was his own man. Never the brightest button in the box, and at times he was only too willing to open his gob and show it. And Fred was largely seen as Public Enemy No 1 simply because he always looked clueless!

Who else would promise Toon fans "the next manager of Newcastle will be a Geordie" then two days later appoint a Jock (Graeme Souness)?

Toongate finished off Freddy's relationship with a lot of Geordies, not so much what he said, but his attitude after it. Douglas Hall was always a rich kid living the high life out of his dad's pocket, and we expected that from him.

Fred thought the whole thing would die down and the Geordies would understand he was simply doing what Geordies do ... get drunk and go with prostitutes. As it happens, the fans were sick to death of his cloth-cap "Geordies are better than anyone else attitude".

Tyneside has changed and moved into the next century, yet Freddy wasn't prepared to move with it. The Quayside is the new Newcastle, and the city is the envy of the country. And we don't need the "thick Geordie" culture any more.

Mort and Ashley arrived, bringing a new direction, but some are still not convinced about the pair of them.

Ashley has not said one word to the media in his year at the club! Amazing for a gentleman who has put so much money into the club.

Mort has the job of PR but he never looks, or acts, like a football man. He is the business gent holding the purse strings, but never quite sure when to release them.

Shepherd would allow money to be released if HE liked the player, and that was the problem. Mort, on the other hand, doesn't seem as though he would know a good player if he was tackled by one!

Mort is uncomfortable in the position of chairman simply because it is a million miles from what he is used to, and either he has pulled the plug on it for that reason ... or Ashley has seen through him.
 
Mort initially arrived on Tyneside to work alongside Shepherd, or so we were told. Ashley wanted Freddy out ... and everyone knew it ... but the deal was struck so Mort could learn the ropes.

Mort was quickly handed the reins.

Sam Allardyce was already in place as manager when the pair arrived, but they dispensed with his services in January after a dreadful run of results.