Sad news. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/freddy-shepherd-dead-former-newcastle-11238969 Say what you want about him but deep down he was a Newcastle United fan. Sadly at times he ran the Club in that fashion but we did have some good times along the way. RIP
Sad news indeed, he was like the Anti Ashley, speculate to accumulate - sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't but most of the better memories from the recent past will be under his and Hall's ownership.
"Tyneside-born Shepherd played a pivotal role in persuading Kevin Keegan to take over as manager when the club were in the second tier" for which I thank him R.I P.
Sad for his family and that someone has died but won't forgive his sacking of SBR and he had to sell to Ashley as the club was heading for financial disaster under his stewardship.
Bought back the prodigal sons Shearer and Keegan though and accumulated the entertainers. As a fan he wanted the best at/for the club, sometimes happy to do it recklessly but just wanted the club to be successful.
Can credit him with some good things at the club but the Geordie lasses are dogs and ripping off the fans with shirt prices comments can't be forgotten. Neither can taking the club to the brink of bankruptcy and as has been mentioned sacking SBR. But at least the guy had some ambition for the club and I assume the stadium development, European football, Keegan and Shearer are things that he was instrumental in.
Sir John Hall was actually the driver behind those achievements, he tasked Shepherd with bringing Shearer to the club but Hall was the one who recruited Keegan and drove the club out of the mess it had been in the late 80's, Shepherd only became Chairman in 1997, he did resign over the comments about the fans but because he and Hall junior were majority shareholders he was able to vote himself back onto the board, I read one article that said Shepherd took over £8 million out of the club in dividends and salary, he was getting over £550,000 in salary in 2005.
One thing I remember Shepherd saying (on Talksport) was that during his time at Newcastle, we played over 80 games in European football.
You really could write a thesis on everything negative about Freddy Sheppard, a proper vile human being in many ways - badmouthing Newcastle woman, the fans, slagging off Shearer, dodgy corrupt dealings, and that's before you get onto sacking Bobby Robson, bringing in Souness, running the club into the ground financially. BUT in terms of running our club, he was a Newcastle fan, that's something Ashley will never be.
RIP Freddie. Like or loathe him, one thing's for certain, he gave us a shot at the big time. Never really had it for decades before him, and certainly not since. Of course he made mistakes with some expensive flops, but fans weren't complaining when he splashed the cash.
Hated how him and John Hall gave you some amazing times but the bloke deserves respect from all corners. RIP Freddie
