Honestly, I can't believe anyone thinks relegation will help. It's the worst thing that could happen to you. Pretending otherwise is cutting your nose off to spite your face.
You need to stay up and fight Ashley from there.
Although, you're in a difficult situation now. having had the press throw the "they hate him partly because he's not from the Geordie Nation" shit at you for ages, now Ashley has lumbered you with Carver - a goon destined to achieve nothing with you, except he's very much a Geordie, so regardless of what happens he's now got you with the "then they gave them a Geordie, and they wanted him out TOO!" line.
Ashley is a devious fucker. He really is. But getting relegated will hurt you more than it does him. He can cover the profits drop by just cracking down harder on the slaves at his logistics centre.
What a total cunt.