EXCLUSIVE: The Newcastle United Football Club is currently experiencing what you could call a division of loyalty.
Owner Mike Ashley is fluffing about trying to save Scottish side Rangers while he should be focusing his attentions on the Magpies - or getting out altogether for the good of the north east club.
They are the sentiments of Newcastle United Supporters' Trust (NUST) chairman Norman Watson who is intent on overseeing an upheaval at St James' Park in order to restore the famous club to their former glories.
Since Sports Direct founder Ashley took charge of Newcastle in 2007, after initially purchasing a little over 40% of the club, the Toon has experienced ongoing problems both on and off the pitch which has led to a huge amount of unrest among the Geordie faithful.
A Premier League-high finish of 5th in 2011/12 under Alan Pardew and nothing better than the fourth round in either of the cup competitions - littered around the 2010 Championship title - has been all Newcastle could muster in the past seven-and-a-half years and things are not much better this year as they sit mid-table under caretaker John Carver.
Ashley has seen eight managers come and go - including Pardew's move to Crystal Palace in early January - but instead of putting his energies into getting things back on track under the ninth 'boss' in Carver, he has opted to try and get Rangers out of the financial mire they find themselves in.
This course of action has caused NUST, among many other supporters' groups, to become irate and their patience is just about up according to Watson.
"The major issues we have with Ashley have to do with his ambition or lack of it for the Club," the NUST chief told tribalfootball.com
"He never speaks to anybody, including the fans, although we do know from our one attendance at the Fans Forum - before we got banned - that the main ambition is stay in the Premier League, not go into Europe, which could jeopardise our Premier League status, and not go far in the Cups for the same reason.
"It's not much of a prospect for the fans, who would love a Cup run, and have recent memories of being in Europe under Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan.
"The overall feeling is that the Club is a cash cow for Ashley and a free advertising platform for his company. The accounts for the past year are just about to come out so we will learn more shortly."
NUST are so aggrieved at the Ashley situation that they are actively seeking potential buyers to come in and rid the Magpies of the Buckinghamshire-born billionaire's undesirable influence.
"Yes we have (some interested parties), but in the absence of an agreed price and a willing seller, it is very difficult to get interest," added Watson.
"We are still trying, however, as we think that the supporters should be represented at board level and have some ownership/influence with the Club.
"We have to assume that even Mr. Ashley will want to exit from the Club at some time!"
The decision of Pardew to leave Tyneside to return to London at the beginning of 2015 was believed to have been greeted with positivity by most sections of the vast Toon fanbase and Watson can see why.
However, he feels talk of the new Eagles boss being pushed out because he is not a local has been initiated by the press down south in Pardew's home town.
"My own view on Pardew is that he was unpopular because he was seen as being very close to Ashley which left him in situations where we were promised new signings, which never happened, and then given incomplete explanations from Pardew," a passionate Watson continued.
"He was often left having to explain decisions taken elsewhere in the hierarchy but seemed to relish doing so.
"There is a great myth that the fans would only accept a Geordie as Manager, spread by the London media, but that is complete rubbish.
"What the fans want is a successful team competing in all competitions and led by a Manager who both chooses and trains the players irrespective of where they come from.
"We are unlikely to get this, as we already know that we are not about to appoint a new Manager, but (merely) a Head Coach."
John Carver is currently in charge for the remainder of the season in a caretaker role and if he were not to be given the job in the summer, the NUST chairman would love to see it go to any competent football man who has the pleasure of working with a willing Board.
"We would accept the appointment of any experienced Manager who was a successful track record and is working for a Board with ambition. We are not likely to get it," he added.
And as for the youth academy, which has seen the likes of Jak Alnwick, Roland Aarons and Adam Armstrong feature in the first team this term, Watson feels the development of talented local players leaves a lot to be desired.
"Our youth academy is not nearly successful as that of Southampton or most other Premiership club," he added further.
"Very few players have come through recently and become regular first team players. We tend to sign French players who have already been through their local Academies and then hope they train on - some do and some don't!"
Next on the agenda was Ashley's involvement with Rangers.
Watson is eager for this to be settled as soon as possible, one way or another, but is certain that Ashley sees the Glasgow club as simply another vessel for increasing his already gargantuan wealth.
"The situation at Rangers is changing daily, there is about to be an AGM where there could be big changes at Board level, but his interest in Rangers seems to mirror his interest in NUFC. They are potential sources of income for Sports Direct."
Nonetheless, Watson feels that NUFC would be a brilliant investment for whoever becomes interested, highlighting the enormity of the fanbase and their potential for positive marketability.
"The fact is that the Club is still in the Deloitte Top 20 of European clubs, is the third biggest supported club in the Premiership, and has the potential to grow its Commercial and Match Day income to equal that of clubs like Tottenham and Liverpool (these two clubs are yet to develop their Stadiums)," he said.
"We think it should be of interest to any buyer but so far none have come forward to our knowledge. At the moment, any buyer does not have a willing seller, and I think this also deters any interest."
Whether or not Ashley bows to pressure and offloads his ownership of Newcastle United remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, the Newcastle United Supporters Trust will not stop until they see the club heading in the right direction and away from the mediocrity that has crept in over the past decade or so.
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