Fans warn Ashley not to risk relegation

10th May 2010

Newcastle fans have warned owner Mike Ashley not to aim too low as the club prepares for a season of austerity in the Barclays Premier League.

The Magpies have released a lengthy statement making it clear to supporters that there would be no new investment in the squad this summer, and outlining in stark terms the club's financial position after it made an estimated operating loss for the last two financial years of almost £70million.

Manager Chris Hughton now faces the task of trying to strengthen a side which won the Coca-Cola Championship by 11 points for the much tougher task of surviving in the top flight on a shoestring with Ashley having embarked upon a five-year mission to reach the break-even point.

However, while Mark Jensen, editor of fanzine The Mag and a prominent member of the Newcastle United Supporters' Trust, acknowledges that a return to the wild spending of the recent past is neither possible nor desirable, he is concerned that a lack of ambition could prove fatal.

Jensen said: "My take on it, regardless of this statement, is Newcastle United should be aiming for every place in the Premier League from ninth downwards because I don't think there's a great amount of difference between those clubs from probably fourth-bottom upwards.

"I don't expect to finish ninth, but I think you should be aiming for that and if you end up just staying up, I wouldn't be crying into my beer then. But if you are aiming to be fourth-bottom, it doesn't leave you any margin for error."

 No money for Magpies to spend
 Hughton to bid time in transfer market
 Carroll: More to come
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