Magpies and the mogul: The troubled history of Mike Ashley and Newcastle United

As the Newcastle United owner and Sports Direct head honcho prepares to finally offload the troubled team, we take a closer look at one of the most controversial figures in sport

Words: Tom Ward

The first time Mike Ashley tried to sell Newcastle United it didn’t quite go to plan. After acquiring total shares in the Magpies for £134.4m in 2007, Ashley found himself reconsidering his investment just 16 months later following the departure of the hugely popular manager Kevin Keegan.

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Magpies and the mogul: The troubled history of Mike Ashley and Newcastle United

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