On Thursday it emerged that the staff at Newcastle are all bound by confidentiality agreements as the splits at St James’ Park continue to surface.
Director of football Kinnear is now routinely referred to among staff as ‘Domestos’ because Ashley has asked him to clean up the club and resolve the internal disputes.
It is a title Ashley previously used for former executive director Dennis Wise when he left Leeds United to take up a new role at St James’ Park in 2008.
Manager Alan Pardew is under pressure to make a solid start to the season when they kick off at Manchester City on August 17.
The club’s chaotic regime came under further scrutiny when former chairman Sir John Hall urged Ashley to resolve the internal conflict at the club.
He said: ‘I’m shocked at the news that Kinnear has been appointed and Derek Llambias is going. It makes you wonder what’s going on behind the scenes at the club.
‘There’s a man in charge there who knows what’s going on but many of the fans will be feeling anger and shock.
'I think everyone just hopes that it will be resolved quickly because the start of the season is upon us. Unless you know what’s going on behind the scenes, it’s difficult to know exactly what has happened.’