Portsmouth and Coventry were both relegated from the npower Championship yesterday after losing their penultimate games of the season.
Coventry suffered a humbling 2-0 reverse to already-relegated Doncaster Rovers, to cap a dismal season for their fans.
And looking back, there were calls for former Toon defender Ray Ranson to buy into Newcastle when the club was up for sale so we could get rid of Mr Ashley.
He made 98 appearances for Newcastle between 1988/93 following his transfer from Birmingham City, having appeared in the FA Cup final with Man City.
Having played for the club and knowing the area, he looked to be the perfect man.
But there was the big question - HOW MUCH MONEY DID HE HAVE?
As it happens, he wasn't as "loaded" as he made out, and he put together a consortium and bought Coventry City FC.
Perhaps we should thank God it wasn't Newcastle United FC.
As Coventry fans are crying in their beer, today Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has hailed the huge personal investment made by Ashley as the club move closer to Champions League qualification.
Ashley was widely criticised for his decision to sack Chris Hughton and appoint Pardew in December 2010, and for many other things - not spending the Andy Carroll money on players; renaming St James' Park; and for being fat and rich.
Pardew believes Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias must take some of the credit.
Mind you, Pardew's figures may be a little distorted - Ashley has a personal wealth of £2.5 BILLION!
Alan Pardew: "Mike's put something like £273m into the club and he's not taken anything back.
"Since I've been here I have not really shouted his corner.
"Politically for me it's a minefield.
"I want to keep the fans in a good place but I would say to them, before they get emotional about it, that Mike has invested something like 25% of his personal wealth in this football club.
"Ask me for 25% of my money and you've got no chance. I don't care how good your idea is."