After a tumultuous year behind the scenes, it looks like a new era is set to begin at Newcastle United with the appointment of David Hopkinson as our new CEO.

The Canadian brings a wealth of experience to the role, including work for both Real Madrid and the Madison Square Garden Group in New York City.

And with Darren Eales’ departure, fans will be hoping that Hopkinson’s arrival can usher in a new era of stability and growth in our long term pursuit of being one of Europe’s elite clubs.

Here’s what Hopkinson had to say in his first official interview with the club, having officially started his new role just this Friday:

On excitement over arrival on Tyneside

It’s been one of the worst kept secrets at the club, but Hopkinson’s appointment has been a long time coming.

And he, like the numerous players we’ve brought in over the past summer, have been itching to get going at St James’ Park.

“This has been a long journey getting here. There was a long selection process, I’ve been thinking about coming to Newcastle for a very, very long time. But it’s also gratifying because I’ve spent my entire career trying to take on a role just like this. It feels great.”

With decades of experience working across the globe, Hopkinson is a fantastic appointment on paper, whose developed a serious passion for football during his time at Real Madrid, which he hopes will endear him to the Toon faithful.

“When I thought about what was next (after time in Madrid and New York) I really wanted someplace to come where we could create magic together. And I really feel like I’ve arrived. This is my fourth country in the last eight years, but I’m thrilled to be here.”

“This is a magical place, it’s not one thing but a combination of everything: we’re at St James’ Park, we’re on the pitch where legends have played. We’ve got the stands here filled with fans who are mad about this team.

“Such an incredible starting place, but we’ve got this moment of potential transformation as we get ready to play on the biggest stages imaginable. Being part of this moment is where I think there’s -an opportunity for even more magic.”

“Fans are the lifeblood, the body of this club”

Hear the first words from our new CEO David Hopkinson – and watch his full interview 👇https://t.co/gpD566WIsz pic.twitter.com/DJouqUv6o3

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) September 5, 2025

On big ambitions as new CEO

With Darren Eales amongst the senior figures in the club hierarchy, we made history with our 2025 Carabao Cup win.

And the victory back in March has only made us hungrier for even more glory, to which Hopkinson is keen on helping us cement our status as not only a trophy-winning force in England, but a renowned club around the world.

“I get energised about big global opportunities. And I think there’s an ambition that we’re unlocking here at Newcastle to take an even bigger role on a global stage in the global game.”

“We are in a great position right now: we’ve got a great manager, a great squad. If you think back to that parade, that Carabao Cup celebration that we just had, it’s easy to get hooked up on winning.”

“Let’s go fill that trophy case: that’s the ambition here. My job’s to do everything in my power to make sure we fill it as quickly as possible.”

Potential update on new stadium plan?

One of the most pressing issues which Hopkinson will have to address is the so far unclear news surrounding our widely-expected new stadium.

For months, we’ve been expecting an announcement over a new stadium, but Hopkinson looks to be focused on delivering a positive outcome that improves us whilst also satisfying fan demand and expectation.

“We’re thinking about it really hard. Higher ambitions are gonna require some investments. St James’ Park is iconic, it’s a special place. Are our ambitions best served here? Might our ambitions be served even better as we create a new stadium?”

“We’ll figure that out, I don’t think we’re ready to make that decision today, but these are nice choices to be thinking about.”

Big promise made to fans and local community

Of course, with how ambitious Hopkinson needs to be to succeed in his new role, he’s wanting to stay grounded and respectful in regards to the institution we’ve built here in the North East.

“I’m gonna do my best to represent this club, and ultimately this community, on every stage that i possibly can. I’ve got a lot to learn, we’ve got a long way to go.”

“I’m on a personal journey, and for me, bringing this community along as part of that journey is I think a huge part of my role here.”

“The next little while for me is mostly diagnosis: I’m listening, I’m learning, there’s a lot of incredible people here with legacy knowledge who understand the culture of the club. I need to step up my learning on it.”

“Sometimes change can be scary when you’re dealing with an institution storied like Newcastle United. I don’t pretend that that’s not scary.”

“What I want to do is as we change, we continue to realise our ambitions and our dreams, make sure that I understand how we’re doing so in a way that’s consistent with what this community wants and expects.”

“The fans are the lifeblood, the body of this club and what it means. They’re the magic, and we need to understand what they want, and change in a way that’s consistent with delivering on their ambitions.”