Malcolm Shiels, chairman of NUSC, has admitted a compromise should be reached: "I think a large number of Newcastle fans would be willing to accept Ashley back if he is willing to try and take the club forward again.Fans To Welcome Ashley Back? Rule Us Out Of That!
Malcolm Shiels, chairman of NUSC, has admitted a compromise should be reached: "I think a large number of Newcastle fans would be willing to accept Ashley back if he is willing to try and take the club forward again."What we want, more than anything, is to see an end to the state of limbo which has been so damaging over the last few months. If he was to come out and say he can't sell the club, but he is willing to come back and try again to get things right, he would be given a chance to do just that.
"He has made mistakes and he probably knows it. If he was to actually come out and admit those mistakes and express a desire to look forward rather than back, I think most fans would be okay with that.
"The most important thing at the moment is that Joe Kinnear is allowed to manage the side as he wants to. If Joe's the manager he needs to be given money to spend in January - that's imperative if the club is going to move forward positively."If Ashley is willing to provide that money and allows Kinnear to control how he spends it, I think it will turn around for him very quickly. If Kinnear is allowed to offer new contracts to the likes of Michael Owen and Nicky Butt that will also be a big step in the right direction.
"But Ashley has to come out and say this, he has to have some sort of dialogue with the supporters to bring an end to this negative atmosphere.
"There is no doubt the situation and executive management actions before and after the Hull game led to the formation of the NUSC, and the NUSC led calls for Mike Ashley to leave.
"However, the overriding long-term aim and ambition is to establish a positive regular dialogue with the board and eventually a representative place on the board giving a true Newcastle fans' voice.
"The biggest problem Ashley has is suspicion about his intentions has been allowed to fester because of the lack of communication from him. Since Chris Mort left we've had no dialogue from any senior figure at the club."
Ashley continues to refuse to talk to supporters ... and I even believe Joe Kinnear has problems getting to meet the man.Twice we (NewcastleUtd-mad) have had threats from Ashley, and twice we have told the man to get on the phone and talk direct to us ... but that continues to draw a blank.
Do we want him to stay as owner?
The sooner we see the arse-end of the man walking out the door at St James Park (wearing his Spurs shirt), with a "Sold" sign put up above the Leazes ... the happier we will be!