Wednesday was a huge day for Mike Ashley and the Newcastle United takeover.
The preliminary CAT hearing took place, with a panel set to decide whether or not the case between St James Holdings Limited and the Premier League will go ahead.
The hearing was live-streamed and watched by thousands of Toon fans, all of whom are desperate for clarity and a conclusion.
We may get that in the new year, with arbitration confirmed to start on January 3rd. It will run for little more than a week, meaning a conclusion to this saga that has been running since a deal was agreed in April 2020 could be on the horizon.
But how has the Newcastle owner reacted to what went down on Wednesday?
According to the Chronicle, Ashley is thought to be pleased with how the hearing went and that fans have been able to hear the club’s allegations.
A lot was thrown at the Premier League on Wednesday. There were allegations of lobbying from other clubs and BeIN Sport, as well as a claim that the Premier League threatened to kick Newcastle out of the competition.
But will the hearing lead to the case going ahead? That is the golden question for fans and for Ashley, who is seeking damages as well as looking to resurrect the takeover.
While the club did get the chance to defend themselves publicly and point the finger at the Premier League, one major issue remains. That issue is separation, and it is the reason the takeover still hasn’t been completed.
If arbitration can’t determine that the Saudi state is separate to PIF then it seems like this takeover will never happen.
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