Micky Quinn asks Mike Ashley how many times he's going to kick Newcastle United fans in the 'Niagaras'

In a farewell statement, Benitez explained that he and the club’s hierarchy ‘did not share the same vision’ which resulted in the Spaniard leaving Tyneside yesterday after his deal expired.

Quinn, a former Newcastle forward and fan’s favourite, told TalkSPORT that fans of the Toon Army deserve more.

The 57-year-old asked: “How many times can you kick fans in the Niagaras?

“They are a loyal fan base and I think the hierarchy his taken the mick out of them. Rafa Benitez was the only comfort blanket.”

The former Portsmouth ace then pointed towards several previous questionable decisions Ashley has made in his 12-years at the club.

“Giving Alan Pardew a nine-year contract, Joe Kinnear taking over, Dennis Wise who signed ‘the Xisco kid’ and never kicked a ball for Newcastle, Kevin Keegan walking out and taken them to court.

“The footballing decisions have been madness. To not nail down Rafa’s future or give him some of the money he wanted when other clubs are out spending is not right,” Quinn added.

And the TalkSPORT regular, who made 110 league appearances for Newcastle between 1989 and 1992, believes his former club will struggle to find a quality manager to replace the Champions League winning Benitez.

“It’s a mess going into the new season and I don’t know who they’re going to get.

“There has been very little aspiration since Ashley’s been in charge, that’s why Rafa gave the fans so much hope because he wanted to go to that next level.

“Newcastle fans deserve more than that, they deserve to win a cup and deserve to get back into Europe.

“It seems an eternity from when Sir Bobby Robson was in charge, Sir John Hall, they had that ambition. They were playing Champions League football and had one of the best strikers in the world in Alan Shearer and it just seems a million miles from what we’re watching now,” Quinn concluded.