Confidence in the PCP Consortium Newcastle United takeover drains but the appetite for a Mike Ashley-less landscape remains

More than half of Newcastle United fans polled as part of The Big Shields Gazette NUFC Survey are not confident the PCP Capital Partners, Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and Reuben Brothers deal will go ahead.
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Last week we asked Newcastle United fans their views on the state of play on Tyneside with questions about the takeover, the transfer window and manager Steve Bruce Our first survey results piece, published yesterday, tacked head coach Bruce, his future and views on the impact of Graeme Jones.

Today we look at goings on off the field – and fan confidence in the club’s current owner and potential owners-in-waiting.

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Firstly, we asked fans “How confident are you that the PCP Capital Partners-led consortium takeover of Newcastle United will eventually be completed?”

Takeover talk is on the agenda in our latest survey data release.Takeover talk is on the agenda in our latest survey data release.
Takeover talk is on the agenda in our latest survey data release.

Of those polled 53.1% of fans said they were not confident the deal would ever be completed.

At the opposite end of the spectrum 9.8% said they were very confident Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi would eventually get their feet in the door at St James’ Park.

The remaining 37.1% of fans said they were confident the deal would pass, making it a 53.1% to 46.9% poll weighted in favour of a vote of no confidence for the takeover, which remains embroiled in a legal battle behind closed doors.

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Takeover doubts have been cast in the last 24 hours due to the club’s precarious Premier League predicament, as well as the recent US intelligence reports implicating the Saudi elite in the death of journalist Jamal Khasshogi.

PCP Capital Partners' Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Amanda Staveley.PCP Capital Partners' Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Amanda Staveley.
PCP Capital Partners' Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Amanda Staveley.

So we asked fans: “after a year of takeover highs and lows, how do you feel about the deal - is it something you still want?”

Listed as the responses were “Still strongly support”, “Tired of the talk but still want deal”, “Deal has lost its shine” and “No longer in support”.

A confident vote from Newcastle United fans on this one saw 96.2% of fans come out in support of the deal. Broken down, the biggest vote was in the strongly support category with 63.7% of fans wanting the deal done. Those who were tired of the constant takeover talk but still wanted this deal to get over the line were 32.5%.

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Beyond that 2.2% of people said the deal had lost its shine while the remaining 1.6% were no longer in support of the PCP Consortium takeover.

The final question proved a divisive one on social media – as it involved yet more lengthy timescales.

We asked fans: “Do you believe Mike Ashley will still be the owner of the football club at the end of 2021?”

Imagine it, 2022 comes around and the Sports Direct tycoon is still the owner of NUFC.

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A simple “yes” and “no” were the options on the table in this poll and again, it was close to a split result.

In total 56.1% of fans believe Ashley will still be the man with the keys to St James’ Park come January 2022, with 43.9% thinking he will be long gone by then.

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