As we’re all aware, the aftermath left by Mike Ashley has been nothing short of chaos, leaving the new owners of Newcastle United with a daunting task. Over nearly fifteen years, Ashley consistently neglected essential investments in infrastructure and staffing, both on the playing and business fronts for the club. Consequently, St James’ Park, the first-team training facility, and the facilities for younger age groups all lagged significantly behind the necessary standards.
Ashley and his associates, including Charnley, Llambias, Bruce, and others, attempted to convince fans that minimal facilities were sufficient for competitiveness. Despite Lee Charnley’s claim that subpar training facilities never deterred potential signings, the reality was starkly different.
Repeatedly, Ashley, either directly or through his representatives, emphasized the Academy as the key to Newcastle United’s competitiveness and talent development. Unfortunately, this rhetoric was never matched with substantial investments in infrastructure, facilities, or the overall coaching setup.
As a reminder, this is how the Academy (Under 18s) league table (North) looked at the end of the 2022/23 season:
The new owners of Newcastle United inherited a situation where proper investment in the club’s future was sorely lacking, making it a substantial failure on Ashley’s part. Building a professional top-level setup to support the younger age groups was always going to be a lengthy process, but signs of progress are finally emerging due to the much-needed investment in coaching, facilities, scouting, and the recruitment of talented young players.
The recent performance of the Under 18s, including a significant derby win against Sunderland and an impressive away victory against Liverpool, indicates a positive turn. Contrastingly, the preceding season saw struggles, with the Under 18s finishing at the bottom of the table. The new owners had to essentially start from scratch with the Academy.
This leaving the Under 18s (North) league table now looking like this on Monday morning:
While acknowledging that the transformation is an ongoing and challenging process, there’s undeniable progress under the new ownership and the guidance of Dan Ashworth. Patience is crucial, and a comprehensive overhaul and upgrade for the Academy are essential to undo the damage inflicted during Ashley’s fourteen-plus years.
It’s important to note that the critique isn’t directed at individuals currently associated with the club. The blame lies squarely with Mike Ashley, who, over nearly fifteen years, dragged the entire club down. The process of rebuilding, especially in nurturing young talent, takes time, but with the right investments, the benefits can be reaped in the years to come. The emergence of players like Sean Longstaff, Elliot Anderson, and Lewis Miley is somewhat miraculous given the challenges posed by the Ashley era, and they are now thriving under Eddie Howe and the new ownership.