The Mirror on Sunday are reporting that Mike Ashley is finally ready to relinquish control of Newcastle United. This comes after the club having to pay Kevin Keegan £2 million this week. Along with the report of the takeover news, the Mirror also reports that should Mike Ashley be unable to sell Newcastle before the New Year, he will award Chris Hughton a £5 million transfer war chest.

However, the Telegraph on the other hand are reporting that fans are plotting a buy-out of the Newcastle Chairman. They also report that Barry Moat is still in talks with the club regarding his takeover bid. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see how a fans trust can generate enough money, nor clout, to move forward with becoming part of any takeover. It’s a grand venture – which Newcastle fan wouldn’t want to have a say in or own a small part of the club?

If I had my choice, I’d much rather have more experienced custodians put in charge of my club – Geordies or not.

The ongoing saga between Kevin Keegan and Newcastle United reached a conclusion today with the ‘winner’ being Kevin Keegan. It was decided that the former Newcastle boss was constructively dismissed. In other words, the club owe Mr Keegan two million quid.

However, what’s more revealing and possibly a damning inditement at just how much of a shambles the club is, was revealed by Keegan’s statement after the panel’s verdict. In it, he explains that he was forced to sanction the signing of a player ‘to do a favour’ for two South-American agents.

I think the club have came out of this one with with their reputation definitely tarnished, and their wallets lighter, but the monetary payment could certainly have been a lot worse. Hopefully, now that the Keegan saga has reached a conclusion, we can make significant progress with the takeover of Newcastle United. Something I’m sure we can all agree on.

Just like many deadlines imposed on Newcastle United fans this summer, we’re again made to wait as the independent arbitration panel will not make a decision today. The panel will decide over the weekend and announce a decision early next week whether Kevin Keegan will be owed a significant amount of money for his dismissal / walking out at St. James’s Park.

The panel have heard from both Keegan and Ashley. Whether this will delay any potential takeover that was supposed to happen this weekend remains to be seen.

The man favoured by Keith Harris of Seymour Pierce to complete the takeover of Newcastle is said to be within days of finalising a deal. George Culkin, one of the most well respected football journalists, has reported that one of the potential obstacles to the takeover going through, the club’s ongoing saga with former boss Kevin Keegan, will no longer stand in the way of Newcastle’s future.

The saga is set to be concluded on Friday as both parties have agreed to adhere to the decision of an independent arbitration panel. With this out of the way, there appears to be little obstruction to Barry Moat’s takeover and the appointment of Alan Shearer as Newcastle United’s permanent manager.