'We had a Michelin starred chef and gave him a microwave', 'It's Sports Direct FC' - Newcastle United fans vent their anger as Rafa Benitez is shown the door

The only guaranteed constant at St James’s Park now is that Benitez WILL NOT be manager for the 2019/20 Premier League season, with ownership and a whole host of players’ futures up in the air.

It’s fair to say the Magpies’ faithful have not taken the news well at all – and much of the anger has been directed not at the Spaniard, but expectedly at owner Mike Ashley. Here’s what you’ve had to say on the topic, via social media.

@IfRafaGoesWeGo - "Mike Ashley. You are a disgrace. Get out of our club."

@toonphotography - "SEASON TICKET CANCELLED. NO AMBITION. NO SOUL. NO HOPE. SO WHAT'S THE POINT? ABSOLUTE DISGRACE."

@Marty00808741 - "Ashley only wants a yes man, Rafa was never that man and we love him for it."

@sinicols - "Until Ashley sells us , you aren't supporting #nufc. Quite simple.. it's a shell purely designed to make him money..

No ambition, a football club designed for max publicity for his brands.. By supporting the team you support the regime...."

@DeanT93 - "If we don't force him out now we never will."

@J__Parsons - "MA has just allowed the best manager we’ve had since Sir Bobby walk away. This is a club with no ambition and now no hope. Truly believe that this season will be a disaster without Rafa, but I can’t blame him for walking away. Thank you for all you did for the club and fans."

@jazzy_jeff44 - "As an #NUFC fan, I'm fuming. There is literally not a manager on earth I would rather have. Not Mourinho, not anyone. Rafa came from Real Madrid. Look where goes to next. This feels like Joe Kinnear all over again."

@gothbotherer - "NOW is the time to stop putting money into the club, don't get Ashley another penny. Boycott all games, don't buy the kit, don't renew the season ticket."

@NTE_Shaun Shaun - "You only had one job this summer - Secure Rafa and you failed. Do us all a favour and sell up."

@j0hnparker - "I would never tell hard working folk what to do with their money. But if Mike Ashley is still our owner (and it’s looking increasingly like he will be) at the start of the season, and 52000 people still turn up at St James Park, then nothing will ever change."

@alexdunn0307 - "We had a Michelin starred chef and gave him a microwave. Binned him off because he asked for an oven or something ..... just realised I don’t really know what else you do in a kitchen other than microwave so this analogy has got lost a bit but I’m still raging."

@doshmeisterr - "It ain't #nufc anymore. It's Sports Direct FC."

@DeanBuckle - "In all seriousness, were we being naive hoping Rafa would sign a new deal. He’d clearly had enough of Ashley and if a takeover happens he has no idea what/who he’d be working with. He was never going to sign a 3 year deal under the current circumstances."

@lesleyannwardle - "After 50 years of supporting #nufc I will never step in that ground again under this ownership."

@jackalextheaker - "I fear for the future of the club I love. A manager who was high above what we deserved. Talk of a takeover that’ll probably never happen. And now we’re left stuck with a toxic regime who pushed our prize asset away with their incompetence."

@Cnixon2014 – “The knock on affect of this could be massive! Player exodus. Fan anger\protests. Drop in attendances. Baptism of Fire for new manager. Lost time in transfer window. Heading into pre-season with no manager. All making #NUFC less appealing to potential buyers.”

@NufcBanter9 – “The club and city was getting the feel good factor back and that was down to one man. He put his reputation and everything he achieved in his career to come to #nufc and helped us massively over achieve. Garry Monk now favourite to takeover. Let that sink in.”