Pedro is a legend on Tyneside, and the man does not have an argumentive muscle in his body.
Just what Ashley needs at this time of trouble and strife, as the Toon owner goes to hide in his bunker.
It seems odds-on that whoever takes over will have London connections with Martin Jol, Alan Pardew and Alan Curbishley all firmly in the frame.
One small mercy - Joe Kinnear is NOT among those being considered.
Curbishley would be a strange choice because settled an acrimonious dispute with West Ham, the club he left in September 2008, in protest at boardroom interference.
And that must frighten the shit out of Ashley!
Former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is an outsider, although a man whose talent, he too has had problems when he has been told what to do by his chairman.
In the meantime, Beardsley is getting down to work with the players, who have taken just two points from the past five league games.