MPs have teamed up with the NUST to demand answers from the Government over their secret meetings regarding the blocked Saudi takeover.
The Chronicle’s exclusive yesterday claimed that the Premier League had requested a meeting with the Government to make sure that they were ‘both on the same page’ when it came to the £300m deal.
These details were released on the result of a Freedom of Information request by the paper, and now the findings have been universally slammed by the many parties protesting the takeover decision.
Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central, has spoken about the need for transparency on the situation. Her petition on the takeover that she put forward in Parliament reached over 20,000 signatures.
Here is what she’s told The Chronicle:
“Congratulations to the Chronicle for its investigative journalism. Over twenty thousand worried fans signed my petition following the collapse of the Newcastle takeover this summer.
“The Premier League takeover process lacks transparency, accountability and consistency and fans feel they have no voice.
“Knowing that the Foreign Office held meetings with the Premier League and the content of those meetings is hidden behind redacted documents, adds further concern to fans who want to know exactly what happened.
“If the PL wanted to meet the Government to know they were on the same page, surely the public, and Newcastle fans, in particular, have a right to know what page they were on?”
The key take-away from this is whether it can help the ongoing legal case in its pursuit to get the deal over the line. This certainly looks like skulduggery from the Premier League and especially Richard Masters, who outright told supporters months later that there had been no contact with anyone in Government.
It certainly can’t hinder our case, given the fact that the Prime Minister wrote a letter, albeit a cut and paste one, asking for clarity from the top flight in the aftermath of another NUFC petition.
The Chronicle did not state whether the Foreign Office actually played any part in blocking the deal, but this does pour more mud onto the already filthy hands of the Premier League.
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The un-redacted version will never be available in our lifetime but the meetings themselves about being on the same page and the obvious resultant conclusion to the takeover tells us all we need to know. I can only guess that the political fallout over the human rights issues were high on the discussion list and neither side wanted to be tarred with any brush regarding that.
All of which has absolutely nothing to do with passing the owners and directors test as criminal accusations would need to ensue. I can imagine the meeting ended with the idea of dragging the negotiations out until the Saudis got sick and everyone’s face would be saved. The premier league heirarchy would be delighted as they forged ahead with their devisive project and Newcastle firmly back in its mid table fodder box fro ever and a day…..well that is until the fans smelled a rat and Mike Ashley probably got wind of what had actually gone on.
The Premier League officials are much more cloak and dagger than is good for an organisation that represents so many fans and in our case regional development potential to boot.
I hope this ends up spread wide open for all to examine with a fine tooth comb and a head or two rolling around the penalty spot
Steve Sowden(Quote)
Government can do arms deals with the Saudis but newcastle can’t no[ reet
Garry Robinson(Quote)
I feel now that the takeover should take second place now and the priority should be concentrated on getting Richard Masters sacked as it is clear he is totally corrupt to the core.
Kevin Spinks(Quote)
Absolute disgrace, Masters and his cronies are supposed to be totally impartial and represent all of the Premier League clubs equally. What a laugh, Masters has to go along with Hoffman who is on record as saying that when he was in the north east it was the worst 2 years of his life, that along with being shamed into handing half a million pounds bonus back to northern rock does not make him INPARTIAL.
JoeMck & granda(Quote)
Point is…its not just the PL higherarchy that need clearing out here.
For me , the club chairmen and chief executives of ALL the clubs found to be complicit in behind the curtain dealings with the PL should should all be brought to book for this disgracefull situation.
Pirciestreet(Quote)
This could happen to any prem club I hope other fans of prem clubs will support us it could be them next
Larry Lauri(Quote)
As stated by JoeMck, Hoffman hated living in the North East. If left to me, he’d be spending 20 years back here care of HMP Durham. 😆
Ed(Quote)
If buyout gone thru.training ground premises would not be in the state itis.re covid etc.
ercitizen(Quote)
All the club’s found to be a part of this should be demoted to bottom tier of English football just like Rangers were in the Scottish league.. let them fight back from there.
I doubt either of the ‘top 6’ would make a comeback like Rangers have. Premier league might actually be exciting again..
James Davison(Quote)