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Revealed what Mike Ashley said to Ed Woodward when they met at St James Park that raised a smile

It is now 10 days since Newcastle United met Manchester United at St James Park and it has been revealed that Mike Ashley met Ed Woodward.

Newcastle facing yet another relegation battle in this 13th season of Ashley’s ownership, whilst Manchester United have made their worst ever start to a Premier League season and much of the blame is aimed at Executive Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward, who controls Man Utd’s recruitment.

As to who controls Newcastle United’s recruitment now that Rafa Benitez has left, nobody has a clue, the only certainty being that it isn’t Steve Bruce. As just like McClaren, Carver and Pardew before him, Bruce has taken the job knowing he has no say other than training and picking the team, even given the title of head coach just like McClaren just to make it clear.

Mike Ashley doesn’t raise many laughs at St James Park but he did on Sunday 6 October, declaring when he met Ed Woodward: ‘The most unpopular man in football meets the second most unpopular man in football.’

I’m assuming Mike Ashley was referring to himself as the ‘most unpopular’ because even when it comes to being pantomime villain, no doubt he wants to be seen as top man.

The big difference between the two of them is that Ed Woodward is only an employee and they can be removed from their jobs at any time, whilst as Newcastle fans well know, removing an owner is far more difficult.

From The Athletic report about Ed Woodward and Manchester United recruitment:

‘Mike Ashley, the owner of Newcastle United, had his hand outstretched and a grin on his face.

Manchester United were in town and Ed Woodward, the club’s executive vice-chairman, had just appeared in the boardroom of St James’ Park.

Ashley went over to greet him and his opening line was probably an accurate reflection of the state of the two clubs.

“The most unpopular man in football meets the second most unpopular man in football,” he said.

At least Woodward could see the funny side.

Ashley then introduced him to one of his associates, who turned out to be a Manchester United supporter and wanted to know why the club kept announcing “all these noodle deals” rather than player signings.

Woodward’s explanation was that the two could go hand-in-hand and, without the “noodle deals”, it would be a lot harder to make the signings. Which sounded fair enough — and a line, almost certainly, he has had to trot out many times in his encounters with supporters.’

