Just when reports had suggested that Newcastle’s proposed takeover was finally heading to a promising conclusion, another spanner has been thrown into the works.
According to The Daily Mirror, Amanda Staveley will be involved in a High Court case with Barclays, as she sues them for a reported £1.6bn after accusing them of “deceit after the bank unfairly favoured Qatari investors over PCP as the bank looked to avoid a government bail-out and raise £7.3 billion in cash during the 2008 banking crisis”.
The report claims that Staveley was hoping Newcastle’s takeover would have gone through well before the start of the legal case, and that this is the kind of “adverse publicity” that they could do without at the moment.
And after hearing about the report, fans of the Tyneside club flooded to Twitter to share their reactions to the news.
OH BROTHER
— Josset (@JossetDiaz) June 7, 2020
We all hoped it would’ve been sorted by now #NUFC #nufctakover
— Dale Mason*⚓️ (@djm5001) June 7, 2020
You just get the feeling that it’s all falling apart and that Mr Ashley will still be in charge and that everything will stay the same under his regime…!!!
— steve kean (@stevekean2002) June 7, 2020
A couple of Newcastle fans admitted that they have run out of patience, and are just “fed up” with the takeover dragging out and turning into a saga.
Absolutely fed up of this saga now to be honest.
— Richie Southern 🧼 (@RichySouthern) June 7, 2020
I honestly think we need to move on from this. Leave it alone and if it happens it happens. There is clearly some major issues to sort which are becoming rather large obstacles. I’ve personally ran out of patience.
— Garry James (@GJV_85) June 7, 2020
A few fans appeared to have completely lost confidence in the takeover even happening, with one supporter declaring it as “dead” and that it is time to move on.
Takeover is dead. Let’s move on.
— Andy Hudson (@andyhudson77) June 7, 2020
I don’t think it’s happening lads…
— Lourenço Cabral (@HarveySpecter87) June 7, 2020
It isn’t happening so next please
— Paul Proud (@plproud) June 7, 2020
It says it all about how long this takeover process has been, that The Daily Mirror claim that Staveley expected it all to go through long before the start of her High Court case.
But with the Premier League trying to take their time over doing their due diligence, the Magpies face the prospect of heading into the top-flight’s restart this month, with all this uncertainty hovering above them.
It’s hardly the ideal scenario for Steve Bruce and the players, and one that has understandably left many Newcastle fans frustrated.