Ashley, who is famed for wearing a replica Magpies shirt and sitting with the fans despite his vast wealth, says now is the time to take a more hands-on role at boardroom level.
"Now is the time to put away my Newcastle shirt," he said.
"I'm not saying I will never go back on the terraces, but now I have to be in the boardroom - I have to be hands on."
He said he is desperate to bring silverware to St James' Park, but more importantly he wants to see exciting football at Newcastle.
He said: "I want a team that will go all out to try to give Chelsea a walloping, that will try to stuff Tottenham and that will be brave and bold enough to attack Manchester United."
Just gave me a bit of confidence reading that