FORMER chairman Freddie Shepherd has criticised Mike Ashley for trying to sell Newcastle United’s soul.
The Magpies will listen to companies interested in sponsoring St James’s Park, which would have its name changed to incorporate theirs.
It is not a new concept, and one which is widespread in the United States but yet to be adopted by the traditional homes of any leading English football club.
Shepherd revealed he turned down the opportunity after interest from three or four companies including an insurance firm following United’s 1997 Stock Market flotation because “there are some things money can’t buy”.
“I can remember when we had the chance to change the name of the ground when I was chairman,” said the businessman, who ran the club from 1996 to 2007. “It was just after flotation and big-name companies were falling over themselves to get involved in football – and back then, Newcastle were right up there with the Manchester Uniteds, Liverpools and Arsenals.
“We were offered something like £3m for a five-year deal. The branding specialists did not reveal the identity of the interested parties, otherwise we could just have approached the companies direct.
“The money could have been ten times that and I would still not have been interested. There are some things money can’t buy.
“The decision not to go down that road was one of the easiest we ever made as a board. I can recall raising the subject with my fellow directors, recommending we reject the idea and within a minute or two, they had agreed with me and we moved on to the next item on the agenda.
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