Mike Ashley has done something very unlike Mike Ashley. The Newcastle United owner invited Rafa Benitez and the Newcastle squad out for a meal as he aimed to break the ice with Benitez and try to lift the spirits of the squad after their woeful start to the Premier League.
But things went sadly wrong for the owner when fans got wind of the venue, and although they cheered the players and manager ... Ashley took some serious stick.
So much so it took a police car, a riot car, several policemen, two "minders" and the pub bouncers to get Ashley two yards to his waiting car!
Ashley agreed to buy pizza for the whole squad. He was certainly pushing the boat out there!
Mike Ashley ended his 16-month absence from St James Park when he returned to the stadium to see Leicester City win 2-0 on Saturday.
However, a lot of fans are adamant that they aren’t going to buy into the Sports Direct owner’s apparent peace offering. Instead, the Magpies believe this is just Ashley’s way of trying to relieve some of the pressure that is mounting up on him at the moment.
It’s never good when your club’s owner and manager haven’t spoken in four months but after Benitez claimed Ashley was always welcome at St James Park and at training it seems the 54-year-old has decided to maybe try and patch up the situation.
For the Geordies, nothing will be resolved until the club is free from Ashley’s stranglehold.