Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan recently redeemed himself in the eyes of Newcastle United supporters after holding his hands up and admitting he got it so very wrong about the Magpies' £300m takeover. However, the outspoken talkSPORT host has once again put his foot in it with a baffling attack on Amanda Staveley.
For context, the Newcastle co-owner took to the radio airwaves on Monday to wax lyrical about the Geordie support in London, relive the incredible weekend in the capital and discuss her grand plans for the future on Tyneside.
One particular part of Staveley's address to the Newcastle faithful left Jordan unhappy, however, when the financier claimed to have been 'humbled' by the scenes she witnessed across the weekend. “We don’t deserve the amount of support we have as owners," she told the station. "We’re very humbled by what’s happened today."
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Jordan's retort was: “I think they’ve done what they anticipated they would do… this is just PR spin – you knew you were buying a football club and that if you got them to a League Cup final you would inundate London [with fans]. So let’s dial down the fake humility and look at the reality.
“You’re the owners of a big club in England. I think it’s ridiculous to turn around and say you didn’t expect that. If I bought Newcastle and set the town on fire I would know that Newcastle getting to a cup final that London would be inundated, because they’ve got a remarkable fanbase.”
Despite pushback from some of his in-studio colleagues, Jordan doubled down: "It’s preposterous rubbish! That ownership model absolutely deserves those fans being behind them. They have walked into a football club, have spent more money in one year than Ashley probably spent in five, you’ve bought it off the tyrant and given the town a feel-good factor – so the one thing you do deserve is an absolute supporting fanbase – you’ve just got them to a cup final!”
As someone who was in London over the weekend, I can safely say there is nothing wrong with Staveley's comments. While it may have seemed like a forgone conclusion over Newcastle's presence around the capital, even supporters and journalists who have followed and covered the club for decades would have struggled to not be taken aback by the numbers on display.
From Kings Cross, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and a host of other destinations, you could not get moved for excited and optimistic Geordies who were counting down the seconds to kick-off and calming the nerves with their ale of choice. Around 10,000 of those supporters partied into the night at Nelson's Column ahead of the big day. Many of whom did not even have a match ticket.
Manchester United, who have been there and done it at Wembley for generations, didn't seem to have a presence in London until the morning of the game and even then it still felt as though the cup final favourites were outnumbered. Inside the stadium, Newcastle fans out-sang their opposition and stayed with their team until the very end, with a passionate flag display in the dying embers of the Wembley showpiece.
Staveley's actions at full-time showed how she genuinely cares for this football club and wants the best for it. There was no 'PR spin' as she offered a warm hug to each and every player and staff member as they collected their runners up medals. There was a particularly long embrace with Eddie Howe, who she has a fantastic working relationship with.
Staveley has praised the Newcastle support at every turn since taking the keys from Mike Ashley. After waiting so long to get her hands on the north east outfit, there has never been a sense of 'fake humility' since she walked through the door at St James' Park.
That was also the case on Monday, in my opinion, as she offered her genuine thanks to a group of people who have welcomed her, her husband and their associates with open arms.
Jordan's new role as a pundit rather than a football club owner means he is, of course, entitled to his opinion. But on this occasion he is wrong. It was a needless attack on a businesswoman who has put a lot of time, effort and money into making Newcastle United football club a success for the fan base that follow it week in, week out.
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