Mike Ashley’s Newcastle become first Prem club to place staff on leave amid coronavirus lockdown
NEWCASTLE are the first Premier League club to place non-first-team staff on leave.
While other top-flight sides battle to protect employees, billionaire owner Mike Ashley yesterday put the majority of employees out of work.
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An email from managing director Lee Charnley told staff they would need to apply to the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme.
This would allow them to claim back 80 per cent of their wages, to a maximum of £2,500 per month.
While players and first team coaches are not affected, the move includes scouts and academy coaches.
Workers at Newcastle’s foundation charity, who were helping deliver food parcels to the city's most vulnerable last week, have also been placed on furlough.
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Having backed down after a backlash, Ashley said he was “deeply apologetic”.
The Newcastle owner may now be forced to lower his asking price for the club amid takeover interest from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
It is claimed that the Premier League having been notified of a £340million bid led by the oil-rich nation’s Public Investment Fund, who would buy an 80 per cent stake.