Newcastle legend warns supporters that club still in relegation battle and growth will have to be gradual ‘like Man City’ after sensational takeover

Newcastle legend Lee Clark has warned supporters that they’re still in a relegation fight and that rebuilding will take time, despite the sensational sale of the club to the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

Newcastle’s torrid 14-year spell under previous owner Mike Ashley has finally come to an end with the £305million purchase by the PIF.

Many reports claim this makes Newcastle one of, if not the richest football team in the world due to PIF’s reported wealth of £320billion.

Supporters have been celebrating the news outside St. James Park all day, with Clark, who made 625 appearances for the club, just as overjoyed as anyone.

“It’s spine-tingling when you see it happen, unbelievable,” Clark said. “We’ve got our club back, for 14 years it’s been nothing, it’s been a shell, it’s been hollow, it’s been empty. 

“There’s been no communication from the leaders at the club, they’ve taken the supporters’ money for the season tickets and merchandise but they’ve never given them anything back. 

“The only thing big about the club in the last 14 years has been the support and the numbers they get.”

Clark has urged some caution in the immediate future though, with the Magpies 19th in the Premier League, and winless after seven games.

Manager Steve Bruce is under intense pressure, with the only real good news on the playing front so far this season being the form of French winger Allan Saint-Maximin.

“The players at the moment aren’t putting a level of performance in to get enough points,” Clark explained. 

“They’re in the bottom three for a reason, they haven’t been good enough so far this season, they haven’t won a game, so they need to quickly get their fingers out.”

Clark also believes the process to climb back towards the top of the league table will be a long one.

The former defender has compared the situation to Premier League champions Manchester City, who took four years to win their first league title following their purchase by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008.

“It’s going to be a similar process to what you’ve seen at Manchester City,” Clark said. 

“Because the top players want to be competing for the top prizes, even though the club is the wealthiest in the world, what a statement that is, fantastic. 

“But are they going to be able to sign the number one players in the world? All these top clubs can pay these players the same amount of money but these players want the Champions League, they want Champions League finals.

“So that’s going to be the part where you’re going from a team that’s at the moment in a relegation battle to a team that then wants to get to the next stage, that could be the top 10, then the next stage is into Europe.”