Newcastle United latest news: Former Chelsea and Leeds United man Dennis Wise has spoken about his time working under Mike Ashley at St James’ Park.

Dennis Wise has lifted the lid on his time at Newcastle United and has revealed reasons why he was not able to be a success at the club.

Wise was brought in by former owner Mike Ashley in one of the most controversial appointments during his time as owner. Wise moved to St James’ Park in January 2008 to become executive director at the club following a spell at Leeds United.

The former Chelsea man was an advisor to the board on footballing matters during his time on Tyneside which also coincided with the sensational return of Kevin Keegan who had just been appointed as manager over a decade after his first spell as Magpies boss. Wise, though, would last less than 15-months in the role before departing in April 2009 with the club mired deep in relegation trouble.

Keegan would last less than eight months as manager following the appointment of Wise as he departed in September 2008. Newcastle United would, ultimately, be relegated from the Premier League at the end of that tumultuous season with Ashley and Wise becoming figures for fans to voice their immense displeasure at the running of the club.

Dennis Wise makes ‘difficult’ Newcastle United & Mike Ashley admission

Wise’s time at Newcastle United will not be remembered fondly by supporters as it not only coincided with the club’s first relegation from the Premier League, but also the start of some disastrous decision making during Ashley’s reign as owner of the club.

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Speaking to the Coaches’ Voice about his time in football, specifically his journey in the game once he had retired from playing, Wise addressed his time in the north east and the difficulties he found at the club.

"Newcastle turned out to be a difficult period, although it was a good learning curve,” Wise said. “At Swindon and Leeds I had learned to do deals within a financially sustainable structure. At Newcastle I ended up doing a lot, from top to bottom, also within a structure.

“It is good to learn to work within the capabilities of what is coming into a club. At Newcastle I structured it in a way that was within the club’s means, and I believe Mike Ashley stayed within that structure – or wasn’t far off of it.

“There were some good decisions, but there were some bad ones as well. The fact that we weren’t collectively together was the main problem.

“The whole of a football club has to be collectively moving in the right direction, with no leakages. When I walked into the other clubs, I had been able to take total control of everything. But when you work with bigger personalities that want to have a bigger say in certain things, it doesn’t always work logistically.”

Following his departure from Newcastle United in 2009, Wise would take a step back from football before making a surprising return to the boardroom at Italian side Como 1907. Wise joined Como as a technical consultant with the club’s new ownership group in May 2019 and remained at the club until July 2024.

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