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Mike Ashley is not the worst owner. Now there is a statement that would have once raised eyebrows, if not fists, on Tyneside.
A black and white might have left you black and blue for daring to be so antagonistic. Yet, for Sheffield Wednesday, there is a grain of hope in that thought.
For Ashley to make a success of any investment — you can measure that in pounds and pence — his football club needs to function, albeit dysfunctionally. It is not in the interest of him nor the brands whose colours will soil the club for it to drop down the pyramid and be run into the ground.
Think of the two seasons when he showed most interest and ambition at Newcastle — they were both in the Championship. The first time, in 2009/10, he funded the pay packets of Nicky Butt, Alan Smith, Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Andy Carroll and his team amassed 102 points as champions. Seven years later and the stardust was in the dugout in the form of Rafa Benitez. Again, they won the league. Not every club relegated from the Premier League has an owner so desperate to take them back to the top flight, even if the motivation was self-interest. Once back in the top flight, however, the aspiration did not extend far beyond keeping the billboard prominent.
If Ashley is to get involved with Wednesday, it will be business, not pleasure. That, for them, is no bad thing given their current plight. Supporters might have to hold their nose — and close their eyes to avoid the red and blue — but Ashley’s scent for a quick profit would make a speedy return to the Championship his primary goal.
His attitude to football changed the day his family were verbally abused when Newcastle were relegated at Villa Park in 2009, two years after he had bought the club. As one source told us when Ashley finally sold Newcastle to a Saudi-backed consortium in 2021: ‘The club became about maximising brand exposure for Sports Direct at the expense of on-field ambition. He had an attitude of, “All noise is good noise”.
If Mike Ashley (left) is to get involved with Sheffield Wednesday, it will be business, not pleasure
Ashley scent for a quick profit would make a speedy return to the Championship his main goal
‘A lot of the stunts he pulled were exactly that — renaming the stadium, branding all over the ground, he knew the publicity it would generate.
‘If the team did well at the same time then great, but he wasn’t going to invest his own money chasing the top four, the margins didn’t add up. Instead, it was about making the club self-sufficient, making a profit on player sales and staying in the Premier League to keep Sports Direct prominent.’
Ashley likes distressed assets and will sense an opportunity at Hillsborough. Not to be the altruistic white knight, more so the dark horse with cold-eyed intent. But when the starting line is League One and the threat of extinction, the 61-year-old is not necessarily a bad bet. He has ridden a similar track before, given the big-club heritage of Newcastle, iconic home and invested fanbase. He will know some of the shortcuts to accelerate the journey.
As for the destination, the comfort for supporters is that it should be a better place than where they find themselves.
Ashley does not want to see a team bounce around League One. The detail might well be in the retail, but that is the price on the ticket if he is to swoop in and rescue the club. He would certainly generate interest.
Here is one story that captures the maverick of the man. During a meeting with Sports Direct senior managers, he gave them all a playing card. Ashley had a deck and started turning over cards from the top. The first to match was a store boss from Teesside, and Ashley gave him the keys to a new Ferrari Spider. It is rarely dull around Ashley. Buckle up, Sheffield Wednesday.