Guest Gallowgate Mag Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley celebrated with friends at a $220,000 party in a New York dancing bar as manager Kevin Keegan desperately fought for his job. Sportsmail can reveal that while angry Newcastle supporters were demanding that Ashley step down over his handling of Keegan's resignation, the controversial billionaire had been partying with friends quaffing $7,500 bottles of Cristal champagne at the Pink Elephant club in swanky Manhattan. Ashley had earlier refused to cut short his US trip after appeals from Keegan to meet face to face and told club managing director Derek Llambias to deal with the situation. While Keegan then sought legal advice to try to salvage his role, Ashley racked up the astonishing bar bill after hosting a boozy party that was gatecrashed by local celebrities. Ashley's party swelled to around 30 people after midnight, when a celebrity bash in a neighbouring club closed its doors and the crowd went in search of more free drinks. Actors Kevin Connolly and Jeremy Piven, from U.S. TV series Entourage, swilled champagne with former Dallas Cowboys star Deion Sanders, ex-Boston Red Sox baseball star Mo Vaughn and Black Eyed Peas' singer Will.I.Am. They all joined in but none of them knew who Ashley was. A source at the Pink Elephant said: 'They all partook in the drinking of the Cristal, but that was it. None of them know who he is.' The club is ultra-trendy with walls that pump out aromatherapy scents and bejewelled chandeliers. No-one from Newcastle was available to comment last night. The incident will only serve to enrage the club's fans further. Some of the Newcastle hierarchy hoped they could be appeased by the appointment of Alan Shearer as manager. Both Dennis Wise, who is uncomfortable with the idea of taking over as manager, and Tony Jimenez believed an approach for Shearer would offer stability. However, Ashley was not keen due to the 38-year-old's lack of experience. Shearer was overlooked as Sam Allardyce's replacement in January and Ashley's opinion of the former Newcastle striker has not changed since then. Not interested: Geordie legend Alan Shearer won't put himself forward for the managerial position at St James' Park until a new regime is in place. Shearer, who is said to be stunned at the events of the past week, said he did not want to succeed anyway, telling friends he would prefer to wait for a different regime before he took the job. He may not have to wait too long. Supporters are planning a series of events aimed at undermining not only Ashley's position as club owner but also to negatively affect his Sports Direct business. And Sportsmail understands he is ready to sell with talks planned with the Reliance Communications Group led by Indian businessman Anil Ambani on Monday. Billionaire Ambani is the sixth richest man in the world with a personal wealth estimated at £21billion. He and his group plan to take control of a Premier League club and look for new revenue streams in the Indian market, with Newcastle considered ripe for the taking due to their current instability and Ashley's careful book-keeping. In clearing the debts he unexpectedly inherited, he has spent a total of £230million since his ill-advised takeover. It would take an offer of at least £350m to tempt him into a sale. Ashley is expected to return after the club's next game against Hull at St James' Park. Newcastle supporters look unlikely to boycott that game but there have been calls for a blanket ban on all club products and all of Ashley's stores, including Sports Direct, Sports Soccer and Lillywhites. They will stage a visual protest during the Hull match and are threatening to boycott Shearer's bar, all bars inside the ground and some fans have cancelled direct debit payments for season tickets. Despite the fans' reactions to Keegan's departure, Ashley is determined to stand by his European-style management formula until a new buyer is found. Assistant coach Terry McDermott again took training yesterday while the argument over who owes whom what has intensified. Keegan's three-and-a-half-year contract contains a clause stipulating whichever party terminates the deal owes the other £2m. He may argue that he has a case for constructive dismissal after finding himself unable to work alongside Wise, and LMA chief exceutive Richard Bevan believes Newcastle would be better re-evaluating their managerial structure rather than pursuing legal action against Keegan. He said the club looked 'like an orchestra with four conductors.' Bevan added: 'I'd like to see Newcastle, rather than coming out and saying they are going to sue Kevin Keegan for £2m, talking about how they are going to improve for the next manager, how to have a working executive team that has shared positions, shared goals and good communication.' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicky Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Overhyped by the Mail no doubt, but he really should have flown back to England (if possible) to sort it out, rather then leaving it to that tit Llambias. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Anyone would think the press are trying to shit stir Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wullie Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Overhyped by the Mail no doubt, but he really should have flown back to England (if possible) to sort it out, rather then leaving it to that tit Llambias. Definitely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest optimistic nit Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Overhyped by the Mail no doubt, but he really should have flown back to England (if possible) to sort it out, rather then leaving it to that tit Llambias. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasper Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Drinking with the Entourage boys. Nice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Mongo Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Instead, that bar bill could finance a week's wages for Michael Owen. Just to put things into perspective. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Howaythetoon Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 This is why we are fucked because this will go on and on so long as Ashley is here. He only has himself to blame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I would have told him to wait a few fucking days as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sniffer Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I'll wait until I read the sports section of the socialist worker for the truth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 He should have taken more of a role in sorting this out but was it really his job to do so? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElDiablo Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Mike get on that asap. Edit - Our American friend Mike who posts on here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshire Mag Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 What a sandwich!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest f***thepress Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Ashley + Billy no mates trying to have a party with people he doesnt know...does he have to buy friends too? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Libertine Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 "The incident will only serve to enrage the club's fans further" at least they're honest about their intentions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest optimistic nit Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 He should have taken more of a role in sorting this out but was it really his job to do so? he owns the club, its his arse on the line. he's been completely stupid stupid stupid to not fly back. the only thing that would make sense would be if flying back would have cost him millions of pounds, because he was there on business. in that case i still think more could have been done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spizz energi Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Ashley had earlier refused to cut short his US trip after appeals from Keegan to meet face to face and told club managing director Derek Llambias to deal with the situation. If that truly is his attitude to the club I love then the sooner he sells up or chokes on a fucking white truffle the better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Overhyped by the Mail no doubt, but he really should have flown back to England (if possible) to sort it out, rather then leaving it to that tit Llambias. He was quaffing pints of Becks vier in the Pig and Whistle-gay cockney tub-bucket! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MagicNumber9 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 The fat twat, that could of been 200k towards an audacious bid for Robinho Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_R Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Ashley had earlier refused to cut short his US trip after appeals from Keegan to meet face to face and told club managing director Derek Llambias to deal with the situation. If that truly is his attitude to the club I love then the sooner he sells up or chokes on a f***ing white truffle the better. Well tbh it IS Llambias' job to sort this mess out. He's the chairman after all. He's paid to sort these kind of things out and to me at least, with my tiny amount of knowledge about the goings on of the last few days, he's the person to blame in all of this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WashyGeordie Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I thought SSN or someone reported that he did fly back to the UK to sort it out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest graemeh72 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 When Ashley took over NUFC, I knew nowt about Ashley So I asked my best mate (who has dealt with him) "what do you know about ashley?" "Flashes all his money in strip joints and on drinks" was the reply ... I laughed it off at the time ..,. "what a lad!!" Now it all fits into place... he's a proper cunt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I'm still wondering reading some posts how long it will take for people to accept that Ashley doesn't give a toss about the club. People are writing essays on why if Keegan had just worn the green top that day all would be alright. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest optimistic nit Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I'm still wondering reading some posts how long it will take for people to accept that Ashley doesn't give a toss about the club. People are writing essays on why if Keegan had just worn the green top that day all would be alright. i'm not sure you can say that with 100% confidence tbh. he's made some mistakes, but i still think he wants success, he's just made a pigs ear of getting it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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