Shepherd has claimed only illness prevented him battling Ashley for control at St James' Park, and he first heard about the Halls' decision to sell during a recent spell in hospital suffering the effects of pneumonia and a collapsed lung.He insists the Halls' deal "had been done behind my back", and is adamant that he would have battled to stave off Ashley's takeover attempt.
But, as we reported last May, Hall did not want Shepherd in full control of the club!
As far back as the start of last season, after United's 2-0 defeat at Villa Park (match report below), Sir John made it known he would listen to offers for his shares. And that struck alarm bells for Shepherd, because he knew he only had his power at the club with Hall's blessing. If Hall went ... Freddy was in a very unstable position.
But it was his comments that Hall was pulling out of the fight that put the final nail in Shepherd's coffin. He came very close to calling Hall a coward with remarks that were below the belt, and from that day on ... Sir John was never going to sell his shares to Freddy.
Shepherd: "I was too ill to put up a fight. Had I not been in the state I was, if I hadn't have been in hospital, things might have been different.
"I believe I could have found enough backing to make a counter-bid but it was more or less a fait accompli.
"If I had been fit I might have taken up the challenge but I was lying on my back without the strength to do anything.
"My main priority was to get well again. I was told later that my condition was very serious and potentially fatal.
"Mike Ashley has been around the block a few times. He's not a shrinking violet and he knows all about business, so I'm sure he'll know how to handle it and do a good job.
"It's a new era for the fans and with the money that Mike's got hopefully they'll put it to good use and go forward. There's nothing I'd love more than seeing them win something this season."
Sunday August 27th 2006
ASTON VILLA 2 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
ASTON VILLA: Sorensen, Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgewell,Whittingham, Davis, McCann, Barry, Moore, Angel, Agbonlahor.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Delaney, Laursen, Hendrie, Djemba-Djemba.
NEWCASTLE UTD: Given, Carr, Bramble, Moore, Babayaro (Luque 45),Solano (N'Zogbia 45), Parker, Emre (Butt 56), Duff, Milner,Martins.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Taylor.
I wouldn't say defeat at Villa Park is a slur on anyone, but this match had me shaking my head wondering what the hell was going through Glenn Roeder's mind at half-time. 2-0 down, changes had to be made, by why send out Stephen Taylor to warm up during the break ... then send on Albert Luque? Why was "Charlie Boy" on the bench when James Milner wasn't up to the task of facing the club he so nearly joined in the summer. And why play Barayaro at all, when he put in his usual "away day" performance and failed to defend, which surely is the priority of any full back?
Luke Moore and Juan Pablo Angel took Villa to second spot in the Premiership, and had me wondering just what we can expect this season from Roeder. There was a time when we seemed to have Martin O'Neil in the bag, but something stopped the Irishman from coming to Tyneside. Some say he didn't want to work with Fat Fred, but only one man knows the truth behind that. But one thing is certain, O'Neil is streets ahead of Roeder as a manager, and perhaps that is Villa's gain ... our loss.
Perhaps this proposed Newcastle take over could be a blessing, because billionaire and new club owner Lerner was given a rousing reception by Villa fans when he took his seat in the directors' box. They seemed perfectly happy, so getting rid of the dastardly duo Shepherd and Doug (who have taken more out of the club than any chairman-ass chairman in the Premiership) could be the best thing to happen.
Newcastle's misery was complete when new signing Obafemi Martins was carried off on a stretcher after the interval with what looked like a knee injury and long spell out of football. But was later described as "a dead-leg" and only two weeks out at the maximum.
Moore gave Villa the ideal start after only two minutes when Barry was brought down by Scott Parker. The Magpies failed to deal with his floated free-kick from midway in the Newcastle half. The ball eventually broke to Moore on the edge of the box and he steadied himself before planting a low drive past Shay Given into the corner of the net.
Former Villa player Nobby Solano was booed every time he touched the ball but he nearly set up a equaliser for James Milner who had spent last season on loan at Villa Park. Solano's corner found its way to Milner at the far post but after turning sharply he was unable to keep down his shot, which flew over ex-Mackem Thomas Sorensen's crossbar.
But Newcastle enjoyed more than their share of possession and Damien Duff was not far off target with a 20-yard drive from the left of the Villa area. With the depth we have in midfield it was hardly surprising they were in the hunt, but you don't need me to tell you our problems are in defence and attack. One - we gift stupid goals; Two - we struggle to convert chances in front of goal.
After 38 minutes a clinical piece of finishing by Angel doubled Villa's lead.
The Colombian international timed his run perfectly to seize onto a pass from Gabriel Agbonlahor and get in behind the dozing Titus Bramble before slotting the ball into the corner of the net.
Roeder opted for a double half-time substitution, bringing on Albert Luque and Charles N'Zogbia replacing Solano and Babayaro, and it did stem the Villa attack for a while.
Sorensen went down to cling onto a low drive from Duff after Martins had found him in plenty of space to the left of the Villa area. But the home side retaliated and a floated pass from Barry picked out the run of Angel only for his touch to let him down and enable Bramble to make a vital interception.
Roeder made his third substitution after 56 minutes, Nicky Butt taking over from Emre in midfield, but "Sod's Law" ... Martins, signed for £10million in midweek from Inter Milan, landed awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Liam Ridgewell and was carried off.
That effectively signalled the end of Newcastle's challenge and in injury-time Moore came close to grabbing a second goal when his cross-shot hit the bar.