Newcastle fanzine criticises Ashley record

Toon fanzine The Mag has compared Spurs in the Daniel Levy era with the St James’ Park club under Mike Ashley. According to Deloittes, in 2005 Newcastle had the 12th biggest turnover in world football with Spurs one place behind them.

In the years that followed (Ashley took over in 2007), the wheels came off. Newcastle’s commercial income fell from £27.9million in 2006 to £13.8m in 2012 and matchday income from £35.3m in 2005 to £23.9m last year. Since 2005, Spurs more than doubled annual earnings to £144m.

Toon fanzine The Mag has compared Spurs in the Daniel Levy era with the St James’ Park club under Mike Ashley. According to Deloittes, in 2005 Newcastle had the 12th biggest turnover in world football with Spurs one place behind them.

In the years that followed (Ashley took over in 2007), the wheels came off. Newcastle’s commercial income fell from £27.9million in 2006 to £13.8m in 2012 and matchday income from £35.3m in 2005 to £23.9m last year. Since 2005, Spurs more than doubled annual earnings to £144m.

As The Mag’s Mark Jensen concludes: ‘Ashley is turning us (has turned us?) into another Blackburn or Bolton – clubs where the TV income is everything.’