 Sam Allardyce will have just one season to prove he is the man to realise Mike Ashley's £400 million dream of turning Newcastle into a world footballing superpower. That is the figure that Ashley has earmarked for his United revolution as he expects to convince chairman Freddy Shepherd to sell his stake in the club when they meet this week. In anticipation of pushing through a takeover worth £133 million, Ashley - through his PR advisors - has assured the newly-appointed Allardyce that his job is safe. But other sources close to the publicity-shy billionaire (right) last night revealed that he is yet to be convinced that Allardyce can establish Newcastle as one of the biggest clubs on the planet. The Sunday Sun has been told of the big-money, five-year path to greatness which Ashley has mapped out for the Magpies. The sports retail tycoon has budgeted an incredible £270 MILLION for winning the Premiership within three years and challenging for the Champions League within five years. And although Allardyce will be given £45 million to spend this summer, he will be expected to push for Champions League qualification next season . . . Or Ashley is prepared to follow Roman Abramovich's lead by parting company with Allardyce - as Chelsea's sugar-daddy did with Claudio Ranieri - after one season. "Mike has huge respect for what Sam Allardyce achieved with limited resources at Bolton, but I can't stress enough just how big he hopes - and expects - Newcastle to become," a source told the Sunday Sun. "Is Allardyce capable of taking the club not just up to the next level but into a whole different ballpark? That's yet to be seen. "Of course, Allardyce will have the chance to prove himself. But he won't be allowed to hang around doing it. Mike wants big progress, fast." Meanwhile, Shepherd - still in hospital yesterday recovering from pneumonia and a collapsed lung - is widely thought to be ready to accept the offer of 100p per share which persuaded the Halls to sell Ashley their 41.6 per cent share of United. But the Sunday Sun has learned just how easily the Newcastle chairman could launch a rival bid for the club. With his current 29.8 per cent stake, Shepherd is already within touching distance of the 30 per cent threshold which would oblige him to make an offer to buy all other shares. And I understand he can count on being able to purchase low-key ally Len Hatton's 3.88 per cent stake at any time. If Shepherd then approached United's institutional investors - who own around 22 per cent of the club - with an offer in excess of 100p per share, he would almost boost his holding to well over 50 per cent and leave Ashley himself with little choice but to sell up. However, the timing of Ashley's purchase of the Hall family's 41.6 per cent stake - coinciding with a health scare serious enough to have left those around Shepherd badly shaken - has left the chairman seemingly poorly equipped to resist the newcomer's assault. | 
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