Mick Quinn: "What is the club’s ambition? I honestly don’t know. Nobody does apart from Mike Ashley.
"Is he happy for Newcastle to be what I call a teapot club? Happy to stay mid-table and that is it.
"If this is his plan, and many believe that to be so, then can you blame anyone for wanting to leave?
"Why stay at St James’ when the owner isn’t interested in Champions League football or getting to a cup final?
"If Ashley was to come out and actually speak, it would make the world of difference. I realise I go on about this a lot, but I’ll keep raising the subject until Ashley comes out of his bunker.
"If he were to say that his plan was to make the club a top-six side with pretensions of winning trophies and getting to the Champions League, then I think we would accept that.
"There wouldn’t be an outcry if we fell short because at least there was a plan in place to take us on.
"But as he continues to say nothing, it leads us to think that he isn’t ambitious and staying in the league is all he’s worried about.
"We are currently four points off Liverpool, in second place, who are having a great season so far.
"Imagine what a bit of money and ambition – that word again – could do to that squad."