Muristek
Six months in, Newcastle takeover still offers little cause for celebration | Barry Glendenning
While Eddie Howe’s side are thriving, Saudi investment has also led to endless squabbling, moral acrobatics and whataboutery
While this week marks the six‑month anniversary of the Newcastle United takeover by a Saudi-led consortium fronted by the minority shareholders Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, it seems an awful lot longer since images of home fans celebrating with unfettered Geordie abandon outside St James’ Park were first beamed around the world.
Signed, sealed and controversially waved through by the Premier League during an international break bookended by defeats for the club against Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur, the change of ownership took place with Newcastle second from bottom of the table, ahead of only Norwich City and with just three points from seven games to their name. It would take another seven matches for them to chalk up their first win of this campaign but, while results may not have immediately improved under the new regime, the mood around Tyneside certainly did.
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