Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has criticised Mike Ashley over the £40m profit the Newcastle United owner intends to make in the sale of the club.
Whelan thinks that Ashley should sell Newcastle for the £240m he has spent while he can. “Is he being greedy now? Yes,” said Whelan. “I don’t think he has thought things through. It’s very difficult for someone who is not a Geordie to run that football club. I said to Mike Ashley, ‘You’re better off just getting your money back and stepping away.’”
The two have long been bitter adversaries in the sportswear industry, Whelan’s JJB going head to head with Ashley’s Sports Direct. And the Wigan supremo was quick to nix Ashley's chances of poaching Latics manager Steve Bruce.
“He won’t come here and work with Mike Ashley,” said Whelan. “There’s no chance he’d go near a football club if it’s not run the way he thinks it should be. Steve wants to work with a chairman who understands the game and doesn’t expect too much, too soon.”
Ashley has never been popular with the Newcastle faithful after the sacking of Kevin Keegan and fans in the Newcastle United Supporters Club will continue to show their disapproval by refusing to buy any official Newcastle United merchandise. “You can’t sack Kevin Keegan and expect the fans to get behind you,” said Whelan. “He will never be able to repair the damage between himself and the fans. Do that and you are down the pan.”
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