Chris Mort's departure confirmed. Derek Llambias is new Managing Director.

[Guest shearer_united]

Does anyone know the REAL reason as to why he wants to leave the club - surely its not just to go back to london.

 

Why? That's his proper job and where his family are. His contract's up so he's done his job. Don't conjure up conspiracy theories, the press will do that for us.

 

I mean surely he knew before coming to Newcastle that he would feel homesick if he left london so there definitely is something else going on.

[UV]

 

No comments on the fact that the new chairman gets twice as much as the old chairman got criticised for taking despite presiding over the club's worst season in the premiership, sacking a manager mid season without a replacement lined up, and failing to land any of the new manager's transfer targets (all things the old chairman would surely have been crucified for)?

 

 

Worst season? Your opinion. My worst season was going from 2nd to 13th and losing the FA Cup Final.

 

Salary? Mort's wages are derived from Mike Ashley's pockets, no-one elses.

 

The old chairman was crucified for making mistakes, but in his first few years in control, got off quite lightly given he called our women dogs and us fans mugs on his way from taking us from number 2 in the country to mid-table which is a position we've stayed at ever since on average, while embarrassing himself and our club in a brothel to some cockney reporter that kind of gave birth to almost 10 years of downright bad press for this club thereafter which still goes on today. Mort on the other hand hasn't embarrassed anyone and has done a steady decent job in what was a caretaker kind role, brought in to clean up the mess of the previous mob.

 

Not that you don't recognise all this, you just want to stir the s**** and attempt some petty tit for tat crap, quite sad really. Judge Mort not by previous chairman, but on what he has and hasn't done himself.

 

Apart from the transfer dealings I'm not criticising Mort at all, I'm just calling out the hypocrites.

 

I think it's fine to pay good money to the people who run the club. Others bitterly argued that the previous chairman was overpayed on half of what the current and no doubt next chairman will get. (by the way, unless you are happy for Ashley to constantly bankroll the club it IS the club who is paying these salaries)

 

I think it's valid to sack a manager mid season if it's evident things are not going improve in the short to medium term. Others constantly bring up this as an example of incompetence in the previous regime.

 

I realise that the chairman cannot be blamed for the short term performance of the team especially in his first year in charge. Others... oh I see you and Mick have already done it.

 

 

Some of the posters who have raised these complaints in the past are now posting in this thread patting Mort on the back for a job well done, when if the sign over the door this season had still been F. Shepherd they'd be franticly starting up an online petition to have him shot.

 

 

Mort was never really the chairman anyway, he just took on that overall role and did it very well too in my opinion, all things considered. He was brought in to legalise the club's accounts so to speak and get rid of very very nasty cobwebs left over by the old regime more than anything. He's obviously done that and while I won't go into details, I'm very thankful he has because this club was on the verge of a scandal or two which via Mort's expertise and experience, was avoided. There are very good reasons why FS and Co got barred from SJP and why the polis were sniffing around, not to mention why SJH was itching to get away, it was all going to collapse. When Mort spoke about financial ruin I believe that was a metaphor for something else...

 

This is hilarious. If I believed any of it I'd be very pissed off with Ashley for covering anything up, as it will only come out in the wash at some point in the future.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Does anyone know the REAL reason as to why he wants to leave the club - surely its not just to go back to london.

 

Why? That's his proper job and where his family are. His contract's up so he's done his job. Don't conjure up conspiracy theories, the press will do that for us.

 

I mean surely he knew before coming to Newcastle that he would feel homesick if he left london so there definitely is something else going on.

 

Other than he took one year's leave from his current post to take up a one year contract here to run the club for Ashley?

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Does anyone know the REAL reason as to why he wants to leave the club - surely its not just to go back to london.

 

Why? That's his proper job and where his family are. His contract's up so he's done his job. Don't conjure up conspiracy theories, the press will do that for us.

Exactly what I was afraid of. The club still hasn't responded to the news and now it's beginning to seem a bit weird. Already people on here are speculating. The papers tomorrow will be unbearable.

 

Am I the only person who is pleased the club is no longer responding to every single piece of press speculation (whether true or not)

 

Gone are the days of the club releasing official statements like

 

 

"The chairman would like to make it known Alan Shearer has at no time said he would knock seven bells out of Craig Bellamy"

[UV]

Does anyone know the REAL reason as to why he wants to leave the club - surely its not just to go back to london.

 

Why? That's his proper job and where his family are. His contract's up so he's done his job. Don't conjure up conspiracy theories, the press will do that for us.

Exactly what I was afraid of. The club still hasn't responded to the news and now it's beginning to seem a bit weird. Already people on here are speculating. The papers tomorrow will be unbearable.

 

Am I the only person who is pleased the club is no longer responding to every single piece of press speculation (whether true or not)

 

Gone are the days of the club releasing official statements like

 

 

"The chairman would like to make it known Alan Shearer has at no time said he would knock seven bells out of Craig Bellamy"

 

I thought that was brilliant myself like.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Does anyone know the REAL reason as to why he wants to leave the club - surely its not just to go back to london.

 

Why? That's his proper job and where his family are. His contract's up so he's done his job. Don't conjure up conspiracy theories, the press will do that for us.

Exactly what I was afraid of. The club still hasn't responded to the news and now it's beginning to seem a bit weird. Already people on here are speculating. The papers tomorrow will be unbearable.

 

Am I the only person who is pleased the club is no longer responding to every single piece of press speculation (whether true or not)

 

Gone are the days of the club releasing official statements like

 

 

"The chairman would like to make it known Alan Shearer has at no time said he would knock seven bells out of Craig Bellamy"

 

I thought that was brilliant myself like.

 

 

Says a lot

[Wullie]

http://web.archive.org/web/20060423093826/http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~658224,00.html

 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

http://web.archive.org/web/20060423093826/http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~658224,00.html

 

 

Thats the one (obviously )

 

Oh for the good old days

[Dave]

Can't believe I'm biting at this yet again, but Shepherd got the bad rap because of his numerous years in charge. People had come to the end of their tether with him, hence the spite. Can't compare that to the new lot, as they are receiving the benefit of any doubt so far. As they've only been here a year, I think that's quite understandable and relatively fair. Only fantasists could believe things would miraculously change in the first season.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Can't believe I'm biting at this yet again, but Shepherd got the bad rap because of his numerous years in charge. People had come to the end of their tether with him, hence the spite. Can't compare that to the new lot, as they are receiving the benefit of any doubt so far. As they've only been here a year, I think that's quite understandable and relatively fair. Only fantasists Newcastle fans could believe things would miraculously change in the first season.

[Minhosa]

Fair play to NE5 for staying out of this. 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Fair play to NE5 for staying out of this. 

 

He's just typing a really, really, really long post

[Dave]

Fair play to NE5 for staying out of this. 

 

He's just typing a really, really, really long post

 

[NE5]

thinking about it 

 

Obviously agree with UV. Because he's right, of course.

 

I think Shepherds comment about Shearer and Bellamy was funny as f**k too personally, can't see why people get all stuffy lipped about things like this.

 

Surely Geordies aren't becoming snobs or something.

 

To re-iterate, I'm not bothered in the slightest Mort has gone, I reckon we need better. Whether the next guy is better, who knows.

 

We'll sharp find out, and Keegan will let us know if he's happy with the support he gets, thats for sure.

 

 

[BottledDog]

Can't believe I'm biting at this yet again, but Shepherd got the bad rap because of his numerous years in charge. People had come to the end of their tether with him, hence the spite. Can't compare that to the new lot, as they are receiving the benefit of any doubt so far. As they've only been here a year, I think that's quite understandable and relatively fair. Only fantasists Newcastle fans could believe things would miraculously change in the first season.

 

Nope, pretty sure it's safe not to tar everyone with the same brush.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

thinking about it 

 

Obviously agree with UV. Because he's right, of course.

 

I think Shepherds comment about Shearer and Bellamy was funny as f**k too personally, can't see why people get all stuffy lipped about things like this.

 

Surely Geordies aren't becoming snobs or something.

 

To re-iterate, I'm not bothered in the slightest Mort has gone, I reckon we need better. Whether the next guy is better, who knows.

 

We'll sharp find out, and Keegan will let us know if he's happy with the support he gets, thats for sure.

 

 

 

It was probably a lie as well

 

Bringing it up was just the best example I could think of to say we don't need to be replying to every single media story, whether its true or not.  No doubt it was funny.

 

Mort was most likely brought in to do a specific job / project overseeing the takeover & short term future & now he's done it he's moving back to his job as agreed.

 

No doubt it won't be reported that way, but we should be used to that by now.

[Guest Knightrider]

 

No comments on the fact that the new chairman gets twice as much as the old chairman got criticised for taking despite presiding over the club's worst season in the premiership, sacking a manager mid season without a replacement lined up, and failing to land any of the new manager's transfer targets (all things the old chairman would surely have been crucified for)?

 

 

Worst season? Your opinion. My worst season was going from 2nd to 13th and losing the FA Cup Final.

 

Salary? Mort's wages are derived from Mike Ashley's pockets, no-one elses.

 

The old chairman was crucified for making mistakes, but in his first few years in control, got off quite lightly given he called our women dogs and us fans mugs on his way from taking us from number 2 in the country to mid-table which is a position we've stayed at ever since on average, while embarrassing himself and our club in a brothel to some cockney reporter that kind of gave birth to almost 10 years of downright bad press for this club thereafter which still goes on today. Mort on the other hand hasn't embarrassed anyone and has done a steady decent job in what was a caretaker kind role, brought in to clean up the mess of the previous mob.

 

Not that you don't recognise all this, you just want to stir the s**** and attempt some petty tit for tat crap, quite sad really. Judge Mort not by previous chairman, but on what he has and hasn't done himself.

 

Apart from the transfer dealings I'm not criticising Mort at all, I'm just calling out the hypocrites.

 

I think it's fine to pay good money to the people who run the club. Others bitterly argued that the previous chairman was overpayed on half of what the current and no doubt next chairman will get. (by the way, unless you are happy for Ashley to constantly bankroll the club it IS the club who is paying these salaries)

 

I think it's valid to sack a manager mid season if it's evident things are not going improve in the short to medium term. Others constantly bring up this as an example of incompetence in the previous regime.

 

I realise that the chairman cannot be blamed for the short term performance of the team especially in his first year in charge. Others... oh I see you and Mick have already done it.

 

 

Some of the posters who have raised these complaints in the past are now posting in this thread patting Mort on the back for a job well done, when if the sign over the door this season had still been F. Shepherd they'd be franticly starting up an online petition to have him shot.

 

 

Mort was never really the chairman anyway, he just took on that overall role and did it very well too in my opinion, all things considered. He was brought in to legalise the club's accounts so to speak and get rid of very very nasty cobwebs left over by the old regime more than anything. He's obviously done that and while I won't go into details, I'm very thankful he has because this club was on the verge of a scandal or two which via Mort's expertise and experience, was avoided. There are very good reasons why FS and Co got barred from SJP and why the polis were sniffing around, not to mention why SJH was itching to get away, it was all going to collapse. When Mort spoke about financial ruin I believe that was a metaphor for something else...

 

This is hilarious. If I believed any of it I'd be very pissed off with Ashley for covering anything up, as it will only come out in the wash at some point in the future.

 

The people criticizing the old board did so after years of mistakes and poor decisions not based on 12 months performance. Yes if FS had of done some of the things Mort did or didn't do, he would have been criticised but I fail to see how that makes people hypocrites, FS had form and people grew to distrust him based on a record of poor mistakes, so had he sacked another manager midway through the season, been slow in the transfer market etc. again with him it would have been a case of "here we go again". But you know all that, you're just picking fights with people and pointing out things that are of no relevance whatsoever to Mort and his time here which people are judging on what he's done and what he hasn't done and not on what the previous board did or didn't do, much less in the same time, unlike yourself.

 

As for coverups, happens all the time in many industries and with many firms. Some go reported, some never get found out. The ones that don't tend to be the better businesses who end up recovering and doing well.

 

Which is what our club is looking to do, on all fronts, which Mort will have played a role in, a positive one.

[Syrette]

Rather he stayed, for stability's sake.

[NE5]

thinking about it 

 

Obviously agree with UV. Because he's right, of course.

 

I think Shepherds comment about Shearer and Bellamy was funny as f**k too personally, can't see why people get all stuffy lipped about things like this.

 

Surely Geordies aren't becoming snobs or something.

 

To re-iterate, I'm not bothered in the slightest Mort has gone, I reckon we need better. Whether the next guy is better, who knows.

 

We'll sharp find out, and Keegan will let us know if he's happy with the support he gets, thats for sure.

 

 

 

It was probably a lie as well

 

probably was too, or taken out of context. Surely not ? 

 

Bringing it up was just the best example I could think of to say we don't need to be replying to every single media story, whether its true or not.  No doubt it was funny.

 

Mort was most likely brought in to do a specific job / project overseeing the takeover & short term future & now he's done it he's moving back to his job as agreed.

 

No doubt it won't be reported that way, but we should be used to that by now.

 

he can't have been brought in to help sell the club to the managers main targets in the transfer market then, because if he was, he's failed abysmally.

 

 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

thinking about it 

 

Obviously agree with UV. Because he's right, of course.

 

I think Shepherds comment about Shearer and Bellamy was funny as f**k too personally, can't see why people get all stuffy lipped about things like this.

 

Surely Geordies aren't becoming snobs or something.

 

To re-iterate, I'm not bothered in the slightest Mort has gone, I reckon we need better. Whether the next guy is better, who knows.

 

We'll sharp find out, and Keegan will let us know if he's happy with the support he gets, thats for sure.

 

 

 

It was probably a lie as well

 

probably was too, or taken out of context. Surely not ? 

 

Bringing it up was just the best example I could think of to say we don't need to be replying to every single media story, whether its true or not.  No doubt it was funny.

 

Mort was most likely brought in to do a specific job / project overseeing the takeover & short term future & now he's done it he's moving back to his job as agreed.

 

No doubt it won't be reported that way, but we should be used to that by now.

 

he can't have been brought in to help sell the club to the managers main targets in the transfer market then, because if he was, he's failed abysmally.

 

 

 

I didn't say that did I.  Behave yourself

 

I would imagine he was brought in to play a major part in the takeover & oversee the de-listing etc.

[ATB]

which was the players that "Mort missed out of" then?

[Liam Liam Liam O]

which was the players that "Mort missed out of" then?

[Parky]

Mort has fulfilled his obligations and delivered to the best  of his ability in difficult situations. I liked him cause he took time out to listen to the supporters and some people from this very board. It was pretty much clear that he would only be taking a break from Freshfields at Ashers request and he's done most of the tidying he was asked to do behind the scenes. He has delivered some stability and also deployed some fresh blood in new roles, which is always difficult at a big football club. He perhaps has made some mistakes, but I guess anyone would in the first year in a new job.

 

 

Good luck to him.

[Guest fraser]

Does anyone know the REAL reason as to why he wants to leave the club - surely its not just to go back to london.

 

Why? That's his proper job and where his family are. His contract's up so he's done his job. Don't conjure up conspiracy theories, the press will do that for us.

 

A surprisingly objective article:

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3985140.ece

 

George Caulkin

OVER recent months and years – although sometimes it feels more like decades - change has become as much a part of the Tyneside landscape as the towering edifice of St James’ Park, but the departure of Chris Mort as Newcastle United’s chairman this summer, falls firmly into the expected category. Having steered the club through a vital, difficult period, Mort will return to his day job as a leading City lawyer.

 

Mort never relinquished his role at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he remains co-head of their leisure sector. Before Mike Ashley’s takeover at Newcastle last year, he had previously advised the billionaire sportswear retailer over earlier acquisitions and had worked in a similar capacity with Formula One, EMI and various investment banks.

 

His involvement at Newcastle was only ever intended as a temporary measure, with his family still based in London, but his impact has been important, even if it has mainly been felt away from the spotlight. When Ashley bought the club, the previous regime had incurred a damaging, perilous level of debt and lost all credibility with supporters in the process, both of which have now been addressed.

 

Mort undertook a thorough review of Newcastle’s books, completing an audit over all areas of the club’s operations. He has worked tireless to build bridges with fans and community leaders, concentrated resources on the club’s Academy and proved a dignified antidote to the arrogant bluster of the Freddy Shepherd era. Misplaced crowing has been replaced by studious determination.

 

Related Links

Mort to step down as Newcastle chairman

There are notable caveats, however. What Mort has not been able to influence in the chronic instability which still infiltrates Newcastle’s existence. The departure of Sam Allardyce and further disruption to coaching staff, did not encourage long-term planning, Joey Barton has proved a predictable liability and a difficult season ended with the boost provided by Kevin Keegan’s appointment deflated by meetings in London, confusion over transfer policy and twinges of frustration.

 

In some regards, Newcastle’s reputation for self-inflicted damage is unfair. The arrival of Dennis Wise, Tony Jimenez et al, was portrayed as a threat to Keegan’s authority, but, in effect, Mort was merely replacing – on a much more formalised basis - the agents, family members and assorted hangers-on who had advised Shepherd on player acquisitions. A desire to run the club on an economically-secure footing may not be the stuff of fantasy football, but it should be welcomed.

 

Where the club still have much work to do is in the sphere of relationships. Ashley’s motivations in buying Newcastle, his intentions and ambitions, remain vague simply because he has barely spoken publicly, even if his appearance in away sections and Bigg Market watering holes have hinted at commitment. Similarly, establishing structure at the club is a sound principle, but it will be thoroughly undermined if Keegan and Wise are unsure of their ground or have differing agendas.

 

These things are sources of concern to supporters and Newcastle’s growing London-centric outlook is another. Ashley, Wise, Jimenez and Derek Llambias, the deputy chairman and likely successor to Mort, have no obvious ties to the north east and having succeeded in re-establishing connection with the city, stretching those ties would be dangerous. In Keegan, Newcastle have a manager who understand its soul; they need directors with the same. Mort is leaving a work in progress.

 

 

[Syrette]

he can't have been brought in to help sell the club to the managers main targets in the transfer market then, because if he was, he's failed abysmally.

 

Who is that then?

 

Just Woodgate and Modric? Who I'm sure you are well aware joined Tottenham over us for more reasons than just the chairman not "selling the club".