Jermaine Jenas delivers passionate Newcastle United takeover verdict that fans will love
Eighteen months on from when PCP Partners, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the Reuben brothers agreed a £300million+ deal to end Mike Ashley’s 14-year tenure, is finally set to be approved by the Premier League.
The consortium worked tirelessly through the night to finalise the change of ownership, which is expected to be announced today.
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Hide AdJenas, during his three years on Tyneside, played Champions League football under Sir Bobby Robson before joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2005.
Two years later, Ashley bought United from Freddy Shepherd and led the club into shocking decline with the club suffering two relegations.
The former midfielder hopes the imminent new owners can guide Newcastle back among England’s elite.
He told 5Live: "I think people need to just understand what Newcastle fans have been through over the last 20 years.
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Hide Ad"Since I left that football club - obviously it's not down to me I'm just saying - looking back as I left, the club is unrecognisable.
"You know, I left that football club and we played Champions League football.
"We were in Europe on a regular basis and had Bobby Robson at the helm challenging for titles with top players coming to the football club on a regular basis.
"Then they just became a mediocre team that was quite happy to go down, quite happy to get promoted, quite happy to finish in 15th and that's not what Newcastle fans want. It's not what they deserve.
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Hide Ad"It's what they were given so if this money can come into the football club, that football club can go back to those great days of what they'd become.
"That club is one of the biggest clubs in this country. They're one of the great teams and have one of the best and biggest fanbases and they deserve more than what they've been getting so fingers crossed it gets over the line."