'Dastardly And Mutley' Not Welcome At St James' Park!

Last updated : 31 October 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor


Daily Mirror: "Billionaire owner Mike Ashley is embroiled in a business wrangle with the Shepherds and ex-vice chairman Douglas Hall after paying £133million to take control of the club.

"That has boiled over into the Shepherd family not being welcome at the St James' executive box they own, demonstrated before the win against Tottenham when Freddy's brother Bruce was turned away.

"It is understood Douglas Hall, who lives as a tax exile in Spain, is also frozen out. The ruthless break with the club's history has left members of the families who oversaw the 52,000 redevelopment of St James' Park, and the club's revival as a Premier League force, denied the opportunity to sit in the stadium they built.

"Shepherd has spent much of his retirement in Barbados, but his three sons have attended away games to support the team and give backing to Sam Allardyce, the boss they appointed before Ashley's takeover.

"But Douglas's father Sir John, the man whose vision kick-started Toon's Kevin Keegan era, is still thought to be welcome at the ground."