Leaked letter confirms Mike Ashley now in official Saudi takeover battle as Premier League slip up
According to a big 'exclusive' from the Shields Gazette, the Premier League have declared that they are officially locked in a legal battle with Mike Ashley's Newcastle United over the 'stalled' Saudi takeover
This news comes on a day where Newcastle Consortium Supporters Ltd received a reply from the top flight to their statement of intent - which was sent three weeks ago.
Just hours after the EPL's response, Liam Kennedy now claims that their letter to the NCSL contained an admission from the Premier League that they are also in a dispute with Newcastle United, as well as the supporters group.
The Gazette’s piece also alleges that by telling the supporters group about another case regarding Ashley & Co, they have slipped on a banana skin by breaching a strict confidentiality agreement between PIF, the Reubens, PCP and Mike Ashley.
Here's a snippet from their latest 'exclusive' in the Saudi takeover saga:
‘The Gazette can exclusively reveal the Premier League, in a letter to Newcastle Consortium Supporters Ltd, have officially confirmed Newcastle United are in legal dispute with the governing body with regards the stalled Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Reuben Brothers and PCP Capital Partners buyout of the football club.
While the legal action by Ashley and his prominent Blackstone Chambers QCs Nick De Marco and Shaheed Fatima has been widely speculated on, it has never been confirmed by the club itself, nor by the Premier League – until now.
The confirmation is understood to have angered many close to the deal.
In an official statement, NCSL confirmed to the Gazette:
“The Newcastle Consortium Supporters has received a reply from the EPL’s lawyers, Bird & Bird that has confirmed that the club is currently in a legal dispute with the EPL regarding the proposed acquisition, which may lead to a duplication of the issues raised by the fans consortium. The EPL have said it would therefore be premature for us to bring our claim now. However, the EPL have not said who is to determine these proceedings, nor when they will be determined. We, the fans, feel we have a right to know and to be kept informed.”
No word as of yet has been given by NCSL themselves so knowing the exact contents of the Premier League’s reply is still just speculation - but the Shields’ Gazette believes it has the lowdown.
I haven’t seen a single #cans hashtag on social media in the aftermath of this news which leads you to believe that Toon fans are sceptical about reigniting positivity when it comes to the failed takeover.
As it stands, things are being played out behind closed doors and it still seems like an uphill task to legally prove the Premier League guilty of any wrongdoing - no matter how obvious it may seem to the average supporter.
Mike Ashley is notorious in Britain for being able to conjure a devious financial trick from up his sleeve. The Toon Army would be eternally grateful for him to summon just one more so that he can end his 13 years of turmoil for good.
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