If it wasn't for Mike Ashley's back pocket, the Mighty Magpies would be down in League Two. God knows why he bothers to turn up month after month, to be abused by fans who have the bizarre idea that it is 'their' club just because they buy a ticket every other week.
There was some recent 'proper' research, I think by Delotte's, which established that, over time, the success of a Premier League club follows fairly precisely the cost of the squad. Newcastle are never going to stay in the top half dozen unless they can find someone with even bigger pockets than Mike Ashley. Given that nearly all clubs lose money - eye watering amounts of money - that is going to be quite difficult.
I am aware of the economics of football, thanks, but:
1. I just
don't like Mike Ashley. I think you'll find that few people have a good word for him in football or in business. He has made his money out of gutting big brands and reducing them to the cheapest possible level.
2. No, I don't think they would be down in League 2 without Ashley - you have no basis for saying this other than opinion.
3. And no, it is not self-evident that things should be like this. My view indeed is that fans ultimately 'own' the club (at least as much as the official boss). And there are, by the way, several clubs in Europe that recognise this and work on different ownership bases to the current dick-waving contest between dislikeable businessment that constitutes the Premiership. Some of them are not bad clubs, although yes, they still tend to lose money. You may have head of Barcelona, for example...