More like Hall of shame, Sir John
By Bob Cass, Daily Mail, 26 May, 2007
Sir John Hall's assertion on radio last week that Mike Ashley was the man for Newcastle United was hardly music to the ears of Freddy Shepherd, who lay seriously ill with pneumonia in his hospital bed.
Apparently the former Newcastle chairman’s decision to take the sports goods entrepreneur’s silver was not just of great benefit to his family’s fortunes — it was all done for the good of the club.
Not a lot has changed then since April 1988 when I was instrumental in persuading Sir John to get involved 'for the good of the club'.
And it was ... until he and his son Douglas used boardroom influence to end Sir Bobby Robson’s reign as manager — a decision with which Shepherd, to his eternal regret, complied.
He took the fans’ flak while his former associates headed for the hills.
If Sir John’s arrival was 'for the good of the club', his departure could be even better!