Source: Telegraph
Mike Ashley can only win back Newcastle fans' support with promotion: Max Clifford
Clifford watched from afar as Ashley became the "villain of the piece", as Newcastle United slipped out of the Premier League following his takeover, but is confident the sports retail tycoon can heal the rift by "putting his money where his mouth is". [LNB]In an exclusive interview, Clifford told Telegraph Sport: "They are top of the league and if they continue to be top of the league at the end of the season he is way back in terms of popularity. [LNB]"And then if next season they go on to attract new players and things get even better then he will be probably 50 per cent back. [LNB]"They would have to win the Premier League for him to get it back 100 per cent or more like 90 per cent because there will still be people out there who don't like him. [LNB]"I know it is all ifs and I know it is unlikely but such is football. All that matters are results. [LNB]"Mike Ashley has been seen as the villain of the piece but in terms of what can he do about it, if Newcastle win promotion this year he is well on the way back. [LNB]"If Newcastle win, then next year - with him having spent some money to make sure they've got some good new players on their books - and they are playing good football and shooting up the Premier League again, it can all change." [LNB]Ashley's club moved seven points clear at the top of the Championship thanks to a 2-0 victory at Coventry and Clifford feels the St James' Park owner can boost his standing among fans by bringing in new players to bolster the promotion push. [LNB]Clifford continued: "Winning promotion will certainly be a big step towards rehabilitation. That is what it is really all about. You are popular because you are successful. That is the only reason. [LNB]"Mike Ashley's popularity will be high or low depending on Newcastle United results and, because they have had two pretty bad seasons, obviously culminating in relegation, then his popularity would have been at an all-time low because he has been seen to be very much at the heart of Newcastle. [LNB]"Football is all about money and he is the money man and he hasn't delivered. By that I mean in terms of results. A lot of money has been spent but clearly it hasn't worked." [LNB]Ashley has twice tried to sell the club he bought for £134.4 million in the summer of 2007, and is still to subject of abuse from fans in the North-East, while member of the Newcastle United Supporters' Trust are seeking to buy a stake in the club from the founder of Sports Direct. [LNB]"He would have been forgiven for going into hiding after relegation such is the particular passion for football on Tyneside," Clifford added. [LNB]"I was speaking in Newcastle at a business conference last year and all everyone wanted to talk to me was about Newcastle United. Of all the places in the country, with the possible exception of Liverpool, I have never known passion like it. [LNB]"Even Bobby Robson was a much loved, highly respected individual but when the results went against him the fans turned on him. You could not have met a nicer guy than him so that illustrates the passion and the fanatical attitude that football fans have. [LNB]"I have supported Arsenal for a long, long time and what I think Arsene Wenger has done is incredible and the football they play is absolutely wonderful. But at the end of last season a lot of the fans were turning on him. All that matter is winning and results." [LNB]According to Clifford, Ashley should dig deep to ensure the promotion campaign is not derailed. [LNB]Clifford said: "The obvious way for him to speed up his rehabilitation would be to pump money into the community. The hospitals up there do a lot of the work that Great Ormond Street does, but don't get the credit, and it wouldn't do him any harm to fund something like that. [LNB]"Plus, buying players when the transfer window is open would boost his popularity because then he would be seen to be putting his money where his mouth is. He would be offering Chris Hughton strong backing in his attempts to win promotion. [LNB]"He would need to bring in two or three players who would be a big plus for Chris Hughton in terms of his squad because once you are into January and February with the grounds you are going to need that because of the conditions and the injuries to maintain their momentum." [LNB]
