D-Day arrives for Mike Ashley as ‘£6m clause’ expires – Could Rafa now resign on February 1st?

According to the Mirror, Rafa Benitez can now walk away from Newcastle free of charge – with a clause that would’ve seen him pay Mike Ashley £6m (if he’d resigned) having now expired.

This now gives Rafa an opportunity to walk out on the NUFC owner if he is not backed in the transfer market this month, with the story suggests that his “respect for the supporters” is the only reason he hasn’t resigned.

In most situations, the leverage Rafa now has means he could threaten to resign unless transfers funds come his way – although I very much doubt Ashley would care. He’s a careless risk taker who only reacts when the damage is done, not when it is approaching; but his mindset may just change if Benitez says ‘I’m off on February 1st if you don’t back me..”

Rafa will know that him leaving would more than likely result in a relegation for Newcastle. I get the feeling he does genuinely love the supporters, and sympathises with us to a certain extent, so I’m not so sure he would leave us midway through a season – even if he does have every right to.

Let’s hope he does stay for the sake of our season. I’m confident he will, but it seems clear now that a takeover in the coming months if we want him to stay beyond the summer.

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4 thoughts on “D-Day arrives for Mike Ashley as ‘£6m clause’ expires – Could Rafa now resign on February 1st?

  1. I don’t think Rafa will resign he cares about the team and fans, but if he does I would understand no one should have to put up with the s##t he has put up with the last three years.

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  2. Would any sane person leave knowing he had to pay Ashley £6m? I doubt it.
    Ashley was or is banking on Rafa doing what he did last season, but we all know this is never going to happen.
    So it’s into the Championship we go, no Rafa and 52,000 employee’s happy to provide Ashley with much needed funds to run his empire.
    It’s because of these deluded fools that Ashley will never relinquish ownership of Newcastle and I blame them solely for the hurt and disgrace they have brought on my club.
    Grow some balls and boycott all remaining games.

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  3. Ed:
    Would any sane person leave knowing he had to pay Ashley £6m? I doubt it.
    Ashley was or is banking on Rafa doing what he did last season, but we all know this is never going to happen.
    So it’s into the Championship we go, no Rafa and 52,000 employee’s happy to provide Ashley with much needed funds to run his empire.
    It’s because of these deluded fools that Ashley will never relinquish ownership of Newcastle and I blame them solely for the hurt and disgrace they have brought on my club.
    Grow some balls and boycott all remaining games.

    You know that 52,000 supporters makes the biggest difference to the actual team and the smallest difference to the revenue right?

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  4. Didn’t we see this same story 6 months ago?

    Rafa wont leave. He’s too much of an egotist. He’ll get a couple of players in, keep us up then move on.

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