Rangers fans glad Mike Ashley is occupied

A ball hasn’t been kicked yet, but I’ll be surprised if Alan Pardew sees out the season.

In fact, it might not take that long. I would be less than stunned if he leaves the club within three or four months.

Either that, or Joe Kinnear is forced out of the club after being brought in as Director of Football.

Just what the club’s owner, Mike Ashley, is thinking or trying to achieve I honestly don’t know.

As well as owning the St James’ Park club, he is the third biggest shareholder at Rangers.

I don’t, however, see a time when he ever starts to get involved in any of the footballing decisions at the Glasgow institution.

That must be a relief for the Light Blues legions.

Ashley’s involvement with Rangers appears to focus on the branding of his Sports Direct company. There was talk of a deal being struck to re-name Ibrox Stadium, much to the fans disgust, but that’s gone quiet since all the recent Boardroom changes at the club.

And, let’s face it, Ashley now has more than enough problems at Newcastle United to fully occupy his thoughts.

There are certainly some strange things going on at St James’ Park.

I do think it will end in tears. Something or rather someone will have to give.

Newcastle have already lost their Managing Director Derek Llambias as a result of Kinnear’s arrival. He viewed the Irishman’s appointment as undermining his own position and decided to resign.

I doubt if Pardew is thinking along the same lines, although I’d imagine he wouldn’t simply resign after recently signing a long-term contract.

Kinnear actually came on TalkSPORT, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing during his interview. He was getting the name of the players wrong, and making comments which have obviously angered the club’s supporters.

Then you hear the club have changed the name of the bar within the stadium from ‘Shearer’s’ to ‘Nine’ and you have to ask yourself are they deliberately trying to upset their fans.

Shearer was obviously critical of Kinnear’s arrival back at the club, but he is more than entitled to his opinion because he is a club legend. I don’t see this mess being sorted out without someone else losing their job. If the supporters have their way, Kinnear will need to go.

That would be an embarrassing scenario for Ashley.