Newcastle Owner Mike Ashley Ready To Sell Premier League Club For $407M

EPL Newcastle United Owner Mike Ashley "will only leave the club if he recoups all of the money he has spent since his take-over six years ago," according to Martin Hardy of the London INDEPENDENT. A Deloitte report showed that the debt owed by the club to the Sports Direct owner stood at £267M ($407M) and that is around the figure "it will take to end his controversial reign at St. James' Park." Ashley "is facing renewed calls in the North-east to end his six-years in charge at St. James' Park following the latest area of controversy, the appointment of Joe Kinnear as director of football." A combined Newcastle supporters' group meeting on Monday night "attracted around 400 fans" and a statement was released Monday that called for the Sports Direct billionaire to "consider his position as owner of Newcastle United" (INDEPENDENT, 6/25).