Newcastle United fans have been rocked by the news that Amanda Staveley is leaving the club.
There is set to be a big change at board level, with Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi selling their Newcastle United shares.
The news has shocked Toon fans, who are sad to see Staveley and Ghodoussi go. They have been absolutely pivotal figures at Newcastle United, having fought for the takeover and then played a key role behind the scenes following its completion.
But now the Magpies are moving into the next phase of the PIF project, and the plan was always for Staveley to be at Newcastle for just a short period of time.
What Newcastle will lose with Amanda Staveley leaving
That period of time is coming to an end this summer, as the woman who made the 2021 takeover possible prepares to wave goodbye to the Toon Army.
As Staveley gets set to leave Newcastle United, HITC Football insider Graeme Bailey has spoke to Geordie Boot Boys about her departure and what it means for the club moving forwards.
“Since moving on shares to the Reuben brothers, there’s been a sense that Staveley and Ghodoussi have had less sway at the club,” he said.
“It’s not a major surprise. Once PIF became more settled, they were always going to firm up their stance.
“They haven’t been axed or anything like that. It is just the next natural step in the management of the club. They’ve got a new sporting director in Paul Mitchell, so Staveley’s negotiation skills probably aren’t required as much as they once were.
“She will be missed in terms of PR. She was very good at PR – pushing Newcastle United as a project and a package. Newcastle need to be mindful of that and how important her role was, as they move forward without her.”
What Staveley’s departure means for Eddie Howe
From a PR perspective, Newcastle will need to fill the void left by Staveley and Ghodoussi. They were great communicators with the fans, while they also played key roles in deals for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, as well as the transfer of Anthony Gordon.
They got what Newcastle was all about, and that is something that Eddie Howe has also embraced since his arrival in 2021.
It will be interesting to see what impact Staveley and Ghodoussi’s departure has on Howe, as they were close allies of the Toon boss.
It has been stated that Howe is likely to seek clarification over Newcastle’s plan moving forward following the news, while Bailey has told Geordie Boot Boys that there is ‘no disputing’ the fact he has lost a ‘layer of protection’.
“Eddie Howe is close to Amanda Staveley and will have known it was coming. It won’t come as a massive surprise to him. But his commitment is to Newcastle, so we shouldn’t overread too much into how it will impact him.
“Clearly, a layer of protection for Howe has gone. There is no disputing that. But Howe knows that this is a results business. This season is absolutely massive for everyone at the club, not just Eddie.”
Howe is losing supporters in Staveley and Ghodoussi. They played a part in bringing him to Tyneside, while Ghodoussi even admitted that he wants Howe to be Newcastle’s answer to Sir Alex Ferguson.
He can still be that, but it will be dependent on how successful he is. However, that was always going to be the case – with or without Staveley and Ghodoussi at the club.
Howe will be judged by how successful he is as Newcastle United manager, but he will no longer be judged by Staveley. PIF will likely expect more, but Howe is certainly capable of delivering that.
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