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Barry Moat closes in on Newcastle United takeover The long-awaited takeover of Newcastle United could be completed in the coming days, with Tyneside businessman Barry Moat closing in on a deal that would end Mike Ashley's troubled ownership of the Championship leaders. By Paul Kelso Chief Sports Reporter Published: 8:41PM BST 05 Sep 2009 Barry Moat closes in on Newcastle United takeover Closing in: Tyneside businessman Barry Moat looks to finally be taking over from Mike Ashley at Newcaslte Photo: PA Telegraph Sport understands that talks between the Moat consortium and Ashley are scheduled and that a deal could be agreed imminently. Moat has been the front-runner to buy the club since July, when Telegraph Sport disclosed that he was in advanced negotiations with Ashley, via his advisers investment bank Seymour Pierce. Negotiations continued throughout August despite the club playing down Moat's prospects of meeting the £100m asking price, and Ashley has extended his deadline by four weeks to allow the businessman to put the deal together. Moat is understood to have brought together a small number of investors, and has been in talks with Barclays about reducing the club's overdraft. Newcastle were working with a £39m overdraft facility but that expired on August 31, and the bank are understood to have demanded a reduction to around £10m, a more realistic figure for a Championship club. Currently the club is thought to have drawn less than £20m of the facility, reducing the funding gap to £10m. A Moat takeover is likely to be hugely popular with supporters who long ago wearied of Ashley's chaotic management of the club. Alan Shearer is likely to be installed as manager if he succeeds, a move that will secure approval.

Missed the incident for the pen, was it another dive like last week from 'Mr. Honest'? Surely not Rooney NEVER dives - it's only those pesky foreigners man. I didnt think he did, he is too honest for things like that, tbf. Oh aye - I forgot. Bit like Owen and Gerrard anarl.

Missed the incident for the pen, was it another dive like last week from 'Mr. Honest'? Surely not Rooney NEVER dives - it's only those pesky foreigners man.

He also said weeks ago he'd received two bids of 100 million and he wanted Shearer 110%.

Friendly against Celtic?

It says a lot to me that NUSC would take anything Graham Roberts says seriously and recommend that people put their hard earned into anything he recommended, like they really believe it will end up at NUFC? man oh man.

Don't worry, he'll be banned for two games.

Jaysus, what a horrible thought.

I was shopping the day I read Redheugh's ITK blurb and Rick came on the shop radio. Naturally I took it as a sign, but then forgot about it until I read the above. There's no such thing as coincidence.

When the f*** was Glenn Roeder ever on MOTD? Post match interviews. That's right, I've slain you with my mighty technicality. Just let us clutch at those straws man.

Really? That's interesting. I personally don't think that Almunia is good enough to be their first choice goalie, and I also think that Diaby, Song and Ramsey are very poor as central midfielders to pair with Fabregas. I do however think that they are a CM and a GK away from a title challenge. I take your point about the keeper, but Diaby and Song are more than capable of a shift in the middle. Denílson looks to be shaping up finally, too. If RVP, Arshavin, and Eduardo can stay fit I can see them tearing apart the majority of teams in the league. The fullbacks are strong and get forward. I think they'll be this season's entertainers. Certainly a stronger squad than Man United. It all depends on Chelsea's form under Ancelotti as far as I'm concerned. They're the only team that will push them. That said I imagine their focus will be firmly on the Champions League and that might cause their league form to drop off. 1st and 2nd will be some combination of Arsenal and Chelsea. 3rd Man City. 4th Man United. That would be fergie-tastic like.

When the fuck was Glenn Roeder ever on MOTD?

You mean Gray and Tyler...a self-confessed Gooner. No Tyler, a self confessed non league Woking fan acually.

Typical how Gray and Tildsley have cheered up since "United" have taken the lead. Haway Arsenal, beat the bastards.

Very Cryptic, good spot Sherlock

[glow=red,2,300][/glow] Probably because of this:- Uefa general secretary David Taylor = ex Chief Executive of the SFA. Until Rooney, Gerard, Owen or Ronaldo is accused of this too whenever they do their next dives then this has been done for show and nothing else. I just don't believe it would have happened to Rooney or Gerrard had they been playing precious Celtic. It's meaningless tbh and won't change a thing. The action itself isn't meaningless though, it shows how cavalier UEFA can be with impunity. I'd be impressed if the next one was a Real or Inter player, or someone obscure from that Romanian team (Debreceni?) - at least that would mean they are serious. I'll put me mortgage on it never happening to any player from Man U, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid and probably Inter and AC Milan. Not in a million years. It's pure politics at its worst. Aye diving is rank and no-one should do it, but this is just cosmetics.

[glow=red,2,300][/glow] Probably because of this:- Uefa general secretary David Taylor = ex Chief Executive of the SFA. Until Rooney, Gerard, Owen or Ronaldo is accused of this too whenever they do their next dives then this has been done for show and nothing else. I just don't believe it would have happened to Rooney or Gerrard had they been playing precious Celtic. It's meaningless tbh and won't change a thing.

Spurs connection, nutjob (sue me), wide boy, book out last month, sacked for fiddling expenses, just the kind of person we need. I see Llambias/Ashley written all over this. And what kind of connection has he ever had with NUFC?

He'll be in the pub with Al and Bazza.

So they haven't talked to Ashley or Harris or Llambias but they've signed a confidentility agreement? Is Graham Roberts a big gambler who visits London casinos perchance? Perhaps he'll bump into old Derek there then.

Wait till you find out who is alongside him in the bid!!! Dennis Wise?

WTF is this Graham Roberts thing about? It's now completely surreal. GRAHAM ROBERTS? He was sacked from his last job at Clyde or wherever for fiddling the expenses wasn't he? This is like a bad dream. Graham ROBERTS? Is he another pal of Llambias? Another Iranian type plant, because nothing else makes sense?

Future quiz question tbh "Link Andy Townsend's migraine to the magnificent Moat takeover of Newcastle United in 2009".

Aye Andy Townsend had a "migraine" this morning according to Boozio Brazil. The plot thickens. Or maybe not.

Can anyone lip read? I wonder what the chat was with MA, DL and Moat when they were shaking hands?