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Newcastle legend Shola Ameobi uses one word to describe controversial owner Mike Ashley
NEWCASTLE hero Shola Ameobi has revealed what controversial Toon owner Mike Ashley is really like.
Newcastle: Jamaal Lascelles labels Mike Ashley a ‘nice guy’
Ameobi has spent 14 years of his professional career at Newcastle from 2000-2014.
The last six of those were after Ashley bought the club in the summer of 2007, so he knows the owner better than most.
Ashley has felt the wrath of Newcastle supporters during the majority of his time at the club.
However, club captain Jamaal Lascelles, who signed a new contract last week, described the owner as a “nice guy”.
I met him multiple times when I was at Newcastle and he was very sociable, that’s probably the word I would use
Lascelles has been criticised by some supporters for his comments but Ameobi said the defender was only describing Ashley as a person, not a businessman.
Ameobi, who appeared on Goals on Sunday, said Ashley is a “sociable” person.
But he understands the frustration of fans over a lack of spending by the club.
“I better watch what I say here,” Ameobi said.
“Yeah it is (sensitive) because obviously the captain, Jamaal, signed a new contract and had some positive words to say about Mike Ashley.
“I think obviously he’s got a bit of flak from the Newcastle fans because of that.
“But it’s important to know that when you’re talking about Mike Ashley, there’s Mike Ashley the person and Mike Ashley the businessman.
“I think Jamaal was quite rightly just commenting on how he was as a person and when he’s met him.
“I met him multiple times when I was at Newcastle and he was very sociable, that’s probably the word I would use.
“He was easy to get on with, easy to talk to. But, again, Newcastle fans see him as the businessman.
“I totally understand the frustration because as a fan myself, you want to see investment poured into the club.
“When you look at the likes of the other teams who are going out and trying to spend this type of money to improve their squad and improve their team, it’s only right that a fan will feel disgruntled and I totally get that.”
On the pitch, Newcastle won their first Premier League game of the season on Saturday.
They beat Wolves 1-0 at St James' Park and moved out of the relegation zone.