Thespence Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 This story is 7 days old so if it has been posted then sorry. PR guru Max Clifford does not believe Newcastle owner Mike Ashley can ever win over every single member of the so-called Toon Army but is convinced his popularity will be boosted if Premier League football returns to Tyneside. Clifford watched from afar as Ashley became the "villain of the piece", as Newcastle United slipped out of the Premier League following his takeover, but is confident the sports retail tycoon can heal the rift by "putting his money where his mouth is". In an exclusive interview, Clifford told Telegraph Sport: "They are top of the league and if they continue to be top of the league at the end of the season he is way back in terms of popularity. "And then if next season they go on to attract new players and things get even better then he will be probably 50 per cent back. "They would have to win the Premier League for him to get it back 100 per cent or more like 90 per cent because there will still be people out there who don't like him. "I know it is all ifs and I know it is unlikely but such is football. All that matters are results. "Mike Ashley has been seen as the villain of the piece but in terms of what can he do about it, if Newcastle win promotion this year he is well on the way back. "If Newcastle win, then next year - with him having spent some money to make sure they've got some good new players on their books - and they are playing good football and shooting up the Premier League again, it can all change." Ashley's club moved seven points clear at the top of the Championship thanks to a 2-0 victory at Coventry and Clifford feels the St James' Park owner can boost his standing among fans by bringing in new players to bolster the promotion push. Clifford continued: "Winning promotion will certainly be a big step towards rehabilitation. That is what it is really all about. You are popular because you are successful. That is the only reason. "Mike Ashley's popularity will be high or low depending on Newcastle United results and, because they have had two pretty bad seasons, obviously culminating in relegation, then his popularity would have been at an all-time low because he has been seen to be very much at the heart of Newcastle. "Football is all about money and he is the money man and he hasn't delivered. By that I mean in terms of results. A lot of money has been spent but clearly it hasn't worked." Ashley has twice tried to sell the club he bought for £134.4 million in the summer of 2007, and is still to subject of abuse from fans in the North-East, while member of the Newcastle United Supporters' Trust are seeking to buy a stake in the club from the founder of Sports Direct. "He would have been forgiven for going into hiding after relegation such is the particular passion for football on Tyneside," Clifford added. "I was speaking in Newcastle at a business conference last year and all everyone wanted to talk to me was about Newcastle United. Of all the places in the country, with the possible exception of Liverpool, I have never known passion like it. "Even Bobby Robson was a much loved, highly respected individual but when the results went against him the fans turned on him. You could not have met a nicer guy than him so that illustrates the passion and the fanatical attitude that football fans have. "I have supported Arsenal for a long, long time and what I think Arsene Wenger has done is incredible and the football they play is absolutely wonderful. But at the end of last season a lot of the fans were turning on him. All that matter is winning and results." According to Clifford, Ashley should dig deep to ensure the promotion campaign is not derailed. Clifford said: "The obvious way for him to speed up his rehabilitation would be to pump money into the community. The hospitals up there do a lot of the work that Great Ormond Street does, but don't get the credit, and it wouldn't do him any harm to fund something like that. "Plus, buying players when the transfer window is open would boost his popularity because then he would be seen to be putting his money where his mouth is. He would be offering Chris Hughton strong backing in his attempts to win promotion. "He would need to bring in two or three players who would be a big plus for Chris Hughton in terms of his squad because once you are into January and February with the grounds you are going to need that because of the conditions and the injuries to maintain their momentum." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/championship/newcastleunited/6778806/Mike-Ashley-can-only-win-back-Newcastle-fans-support-with-promotion-Max-Clifford.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Fuck off Max. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interpolic Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I wish Max Clifford would fuck off. Talentless wideboy cunt, who only ever states the obvious but goes on like he's a genius. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I wish Max Clifford would fuck off. Talentless wideboy cunt, who only ever states the obvious but goes on like he's a genius. It's brilliant how he's a 'guru' in public relations and yet everyone thinks he's a twat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 His advice at the end seemed canny "He would need to bring in two or three players who would be a big plus for Chris Hughton in terms of his squad because once you are into January and February with the grounds you are going to need that because of the conditions and the injuries to maintain their momentum." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firetotheworks Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 He hasn't the first idea about football or heart. I can imagine him now, buying peoples affections and crying in the shower because deep down he knows they still think he's a complete twat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interpolic Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I wish Max Clifford would fuck off. Talentless wideboy cunt, who only ever states the obvious but goes on like he's a genius. It's brilliant how he's a 'guru' in public relations and yet everyone thinks he's a twat. Never actually thought about the irony of that. Much of what he does is glorified lying anyway, always hated him. Edit: speaking of irony, I work in marketing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Completely forgetting that Ashley caused the relegation in the first place So if I burnt down a hospital then ran in, put it out and saved all the people, I'd be hailed a hero? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 So if I burnt down a hospital then ran in, put it out and saved all the people, I'd be hailed a hero? You = Ashley Hospital = NUFC Who are the people? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 So if I burnt down a hospital then ran in, put it out and saved all the people, I'd be hailed a hero? You = Ashley Hospital = NUFC Who are the people? Your league status, I'd imagine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
indi Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Max Clifford never says anything in the press without having a reason for doing so, I wonder what his reason is for talking about us? I mean think about it, how the fuck did this interview even come about? I can see them now sitting around the sports desk at the Telegraph talking about ideas for stories: "Let's do a Newcastle interview, they always sell a few copies, Hmm who could we interview? Ashley? Nah. Hughton? Nope. Shearer? No. Keegan? Maybe.... but nah. I know, Max Clifford! Yeah, he was going to be my first suggestion, but I thought it would have been too obvious. I know what you mean, but it's the logical choice. It is." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Redheugh Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 If Max Clifford is so good at PR .......... then why does everyone think he is such a cunt? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 So if I burnt down a hospital then ran in, put it out and saved all the people, I'd be hailed a hero? You = Ashley Hospital = NUFC Who are the people? Your league status, I'd imagine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 So if I burnt down a hospital then ran in, put it out and saved all the people, I'd be hailed a hero? You = Ashley Hospital = NUFC Who are the people? Your league status, I'd imagine. I'm proper clever me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alan Shearer 9 Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Max Clifford = Maximum Cunt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 So if I burnt down a hospital then ran in, put it out and saved all the people, I'd be hailed a hero? You = Ashley Hospital = NUFC Who are the people? Your league status, I'd imagine. I'm proper clever me. Yup, I didn't even think that much into it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinho lad Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 load of nonesense. Fuck off, cunt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Promotion, manager support and no talking he could become appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 A Parasite on a par with football agents, bankers and many politicians. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
olliemort Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 If Max Clifford is so good at PR .......... then why does everyone think he is such a c***? Well.....Sillous Sod??Takeover Friday is it??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Max Clifford never says anything in the press without having a reason for doing so, I wonder what his reason is for talking about us? I mean think about it, how the fuck did this interview even come about? I can see them now sitting around the sports desk at the Telegraph talking about ideas for stories: "Let's do a Newcastle interview, they always sell a few copies, Hmm who could we interview? Ashley? Nah. Hughton? Nope. Shearer? No. Keegan? Maybe.... but nah. I know, Max Clifford! Yeah, he was going to be my first suggestion, but I thought it would have been too obvious. I know what you mean, but it's the logical choice. It is." Is he speaking as Ashley's offical PR man or as an individual? I was going to say I can't believe Ashley would be daft enough to hire a twat like Clifford but sadly I can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStar Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Wow, if mike ashley became a totally different person and did the exact opposite to everything he's done so far that made people hate him then people would like him. How insightful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
80 Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Max Clifford never says anything in the press without having a reason for doing so, I wonder what his reason is for talking about us? I mean think about it, how the fuck did this interview even come about? I can see them now sitting around the sports desk at the Telegraph talking about ideas for stories: "Let's do a Newcastle interview, they always sell a few copies, Hmm who could we interview? Ashley? Nah. Hughton? Nope. Shearer? No. Keegan? Maybe.... but nah. I know, Max Clifford! Yeah, he was going to be my first suggestion, but I thought it would have been too obvious. I know what you mean, but it's the logical choice. It is." Indeed... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 No time for Clifford and Ashley will only ever gain a modicum of trust IF he STRENGTHENS the side after promotion and appoints a top class manager - not in that order of course.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johnson293 Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 No time for Clifford and Ashley will only ever gain a modicum of trust IF he STRENGTHENS the side after promotion and appoints a top class manager - not in that order of course.... Agreed - Ashley cannot and should not take any credit whatsoever for the current league position, and/or if we do get promoted at the end of the season. It'll be his actions in the summer (managerial appointment/transfer funds), looking toward next season that will gain him any trust and/or support. However, I think we can all hazard a guess at what will happen if we do win promotion... the 'for sale' signs will be back up as well! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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