Toon chief Ashley set to skip demo day as supporters' frustration escalates

Chris Mort, then chairman, is urged to sing the Blaydon Races on stage, which he does.

Bonhomie is everywhere.

Toon supremo Mike Ashley has been at the centre of controversy since Kevin Keegan's St James' Park departure

Ashley is all smiles.

The region basks in a collective glow.

Eight months on, Anil Ambani, the sixth richest man in the world, officially withdraws from an attempt to buy the club, infuriated at his inability to get an audience with Ashley.

‘We have been unable to have any satisfying talks with anyone from the club,’ said a spokesman from Reliance Communications.

They have not been the only ones.

Ashley, one-time man of the people, has gone to ground and with him the figures of power at St James’ Park.

Talking about Newcastle United was not on anyone’s agenda on Friday — not Paul Ince’s, a candidate to succeed Kevin Keegan; not Ambani’s, the Indian billionaire so dismayed at being ignored and at the political unrest that has descended over St James’ Park that he has instead been attracted to Bill Kenwright’s wooing at Everton.

And certainly not for Ashley’s control team.

Even Chris Hughton, the caretaker manager, chose to address the fans’ unrest via a carefully worded column in the club’s matchday programme.

‘Nobody needs me to tell them that the last fortnight has been a difficult one for everyone connected with Newcastle United,’ he wrote. ‘

'Following the departures of Kevin Keegan and Terry McDermott, I was asked by the board to take temporary charge of first-team affairs.

'That has meant working with the players and getting them ready for the game against Hull City.

'And that has been my sole focus over the past week.’ 

Magpies coach Chris Hughton will take charge of managerless Newcastle for the clash against Hull City

It was hardly Churchillian.

It is 11 days since Sportsmail revealed details of the row between Kevin Keegan and Newcastle’s managing director Derek Llambias that led to a resignation and a civil war both inside and outside St James’ Park.

A demonstration will start outside the ground an hour before the clash against the Barclays Premier League new boys.

Five different marches are planned to descend upon the stadium, with sections of fans arriving after kick-off.

Northumbria Police have doubled their numbers.

Ashley had planned his own boycott of sorts: a business meeting carefully scheduled in advance.

Avoidance has become the signature theme of his reign.

Like Wise, he is unlikely to attend the hostilities, but do not completely rule out an appearance.

He will meet Llambias, Wise and Tony Jimenez this weekend for a vital meeting, with a shortlist of four names to replace Keegan: Gus Poyet, Didier Deschamps, Zico, and of course, Ince, whose own attempt at avoidance was far from convincing.

Gus Poyet (left) and Paul Ince are thought to be on the shortlist for the vacant manager role at Newcastle

‘It is flattering,’ he said. ‘You are never going to get away from speculation.

'As flattering as it is because Newcastle is a massive club , I don’t comment on speculation.

'I am here to concentrate on Blackburn. If people want to say things because me and Wisey are good mates, I can’t control that.’

Keegan’s decision to resign was endorsed by Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Manchester United manager said: ‘You have to have your pride. You have to have your control.’

Phil Brown, the Hull manager, returns home to the north east for the clash.

He is not new to mob mentality at St James’ Park.

As a youngster he was beaten up for being a Sunderland fan.

‘I supported Newcastle when they were at home and Sunderland when they were at home until I had an altercation with a group of supporters in the Leazes End,’ he said.

‘They accused me of being a Mackem.

'I was mistakenly identified as a Sunderland fan when at the time, I was a football fan.

'Then I became a Sunderland fan.

’Four decades later he watched best friend Sam Allardyce sacrificed as Ashley sought popularity.

‘It was Newcastle’s loss when he left,’ said Brown.

‘Sam is a top manager.

'He understood the challenge when he went there.

'He got on with it but unfortunately only lasted seven months.

‘I can’t comment on the new owner but any club in turmoil saddens me.

'I managed a club in turmoil at Derby and I know how difficult it is.’

Tyneside will vouch for that.