Former footballer and TV pundit Andy Gray has defended Newcastle owner Mike Ashley after fan backlash over the amount of backing he has given Rafa Benitez.
The Spanish manager was brought in to try and save Newcastle’s season after Steve McClaren had left them in the relegation zone back in 2016.
While he could not stabilise the club in time, he decided to stay with the club and look to build them back up to their former glory.
They returned to the Premier League after their first attempt in the Championship, with Rafa then praised for the performances that followed.
Though, fans have always dreamt of more and the one they feel is holding them back is owner Mike Ashley.
The lack of backing for Benitez has lead to several calls from fans for Mike Ashley to leave the club.
He nearly sold the club to investors earlier this year but a deal fell through.
Now, pundit Andy Gray has given his opinion on the matter and it’s safe to say that it will rub people up the wrong way.
“I don’t know what they want,” he explained to beIN SPORTS.
“Do they want Mike Ashley to just say ‘here is a quarter of a billion pounds’, you can have it and spend it however you want?
“It’s not going to happen, these clubs are businesses now. They’re not football clubs anymore, the way we knew them.
“If you look at the investment he has made in Newcastle, I don’t get the stick he gets.
“He brought in Rafa Benitez, he gets no praise for that.”