A SUPPORTERS’ group is calling on Newcastle United fans to help them raise enough funds to buy a small stake of the club should their buffoonish billionaire owner Mike Ashley eventually sell it.

The Newcastle United Supporters Trust (Nust) announced the 1892 Pledge Scheme today and are hoping fans will help crowdfund their mission to bring the club under fan ownership.

“We are asking you, the supporters of this historic football club, to make a small monthly payment … or a little bit when you can, so fans can buy a small share of the club whenever it’s next sold, or be ready to save it should we fall down divisions making us affordable enough for fans to buy out right,” Nust said in a video promoting the scheme today.  

“With our global fan base paying in a tiny contribution, we’ll get there united.

“This is your football club. It belongs to us. And by giving something small, monthly or when we can, we will raise enough to have a small stake in the club.”

Nust says that should they fail, then all donations will be given to charities across north-east England.  

By the time this story was published, the 1892 Pledge Scheme had raised over £6,700.

The scheme has taken inspiration from the Foundation of Hearts, a supporters group of Scottish football team Heart of Midlothian, which had raised over £11 million by the end of January 2021 and rescued the club from administration in 2014.

“We believe that through fan ownership in the club,” Nust say on their website, “we will be able to secure the future of NUFC for all time. 

“We want the club to operate with integrity and transparency and have a clear strategy for success on and off the pitch."

Newcastle United owner Ashley, who also owns House of Fraser and Sports Direct, where working conditions at its Shirebrook site in Derbyshire have been widely condemned, has repeatedly tried to sell the club since 2009.