How the Saudi takeover has changed Newcastle

The contradictions and paradoxes are all-too apparent as club attempts to become one of the elite

- Louise Taylor

The main stand had virtually emptied by the time Yasir al-Rumayyan and his four bodyguards T walked slowly down the concrete steps leading from the directors' box to the St James' Park pitch. As the Newcastle chairman's entourage headed on towards the tunnel en route for the home dressing room, the handful of journalists still in the ground feared for Eddie Howe.

It was early January 2022, Newcastle had just lost 1-0 at home to League One Cambridge United in the FA Cup and Rumayyan was over from Riyadh, checking on the progress made since the club's controversial Saudi Arabian-led takeover three months earlier.

Howe had been in the post since November but, with relegation beckoning, fans had begun speculating that a manager appointed after Unai Emery's 11th-hour rejection of the role might be jettisoned. Instead, a calm Rumayyan told the players that the owners were "fully supportive" of Howe and appreciated the team's effort and togetherness in adversity.

Given that Rumayyan also serves as the governor of Newcastle's 80% shareholder, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), and a first lieutenant of the kingdom's ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, those words carried considerable heft.

Behind the scenes, Newcastle's staff in assorted areas, such as security, catering, administration, scouting and IT, had sensed things were changing for the better after years of feeling undervalued by the regime presided over by the previous owner, Mike Ashley.

The Saudis initially delegated day-to-day control of Newcastle to their minority co-owners and fellow directors, Amanda Staveley, her husband, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, and Jamie Reuben. That trio quickly told the new hierarchy they were facing an open goal. An early opportunity to win hearts and minds was staring them in face.