Oh No ... Shepherd Stays On!

"All other directors of the club, including Douglas Hall, have agreed to stand down and be replaced by Ashley-appointed business experts.

"And we can also reveal that Shepherd volunteered to join the exodus . . . only for Ashley to persuade him to remain on board."

 

Shepherd is without doubt a very unpopular figure with the fans. Twice last season they demonstrated after a match for him to leave the club, but he stood firm even claiming "Newcastle is unbuyable, and I am here for the long haul."

Then he sold his stake in United to Ashley for £37.6 million, but the Sunday Sun claim he will return to his chairman's duties when he completes his recovery from pneumonia and a collapsed lung in early July.

A Newcastle source told the Sunday Sun: "Mike Ashley and his team want Freddy Shepherd to stay, and he is staying.

"There is a board meeting on Monday - probably at St James's Park - where the board, excluding Freddy Shepherd, will step down and the new board will be appointed.

"Ashley won't be there, but everything is agreed. Four directors will resign after being told by him that he wanted to bring in his own team.

"Freddy Shepherd felt it might be the appropriate time to end his 16-year association with the club, what with his brother Bruce and friend Douglas Hall both resigning, and his recent illness.

"But Ashley felt that Shepherd's experience and knowledge of the club was indispensable as it enters a period of transition.

"Every business needs continuity, and Shepherd is the man who has a strong personal relationship with the club's sponsors and backers - and therefore their loyalty - as well as contacts within football itself.

"Shepherd is now looking forward to working with the new owner and is optimistic that Ashley can move Newcastle forward."

Quitting the Newcastle board tomorrow will be executive director Douglas Hall, his sister Allison Antonopoulos, fellow non-executive director Timothy Revill and Shepherd's brother, Bruce.