Toon Army Demand 'Come Out Of Hiding Ashley!'
Last updated : 26 July 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor
... it is time for new owner Mike Ashley to get out from hiding under the bed and faced his public!
There questions to be answered, and now he has full control, NOW is the time to answer them.
What direction are we going? How much money is he prapared to back Big Sam in the transfer market? Is it true Allardyce is just keeping the hot seat warm for Arsene Wenger?
This week's dramatic developments at St James's Park have made many fans (myself included) look to a new dawn. I haven't been as excited about the prospect of a new season since Kevin Keegan walked through the door.
Shepherd's 10-year chairmanship came to an abrupt end when it was announced Chris Mort would replace him ... and I felt like putting out the flags.
Shepherd was never going to have a working relationship with Ashley. It never got off the ground, and we all knew it. BUT ... we need to know more about the man who is running the show.
He likes to keep a low profile, fair enough, a pleasant change from Freddy making the front pages rather than the back. But he has to show he is "one of us", rather than someone who has intends to use the club as a hobby.
I'm not saying we should see him down The Strawberry drinking Broon Ale with the Toon Army like Sir John did (for show of course, he only did it when the cameras were there), but at least stand up, face the cameras, and say "here I am and this is what I want to do".
As for Freddy, Sam has his say.
Allardyce: "From my point of view, Freddie Shepherd was the man who brought me here so there is a bit of sadness.
"But football moves on - in our game, you learn to live with a rhino skin. You develop that and then you put an elephant's skin on top and get on with your life. What upsets other people doesn't affect us so much, but deep down inside, I'm a little bit sad to see him go.
"Freddie has been here (as chairman) for 10 years and he has been a fan all his life. But along with his family, his health is more important than anything else and I hope he is making a full recovery.
"I wish Chris Mort and Sam Allardyce all the best. I hope that they can do what we could not and give our fans a trophy.
"It's laid everything to rest now, everything has been put to bed.
"While Freddie was hands-on and here every single day of the week, it isn't quite that under this regime - that's the difference from my point of view.
"But the communication lines have been built now and we are getting used to working together so we can move the club forward on and off the field."