Newcastle United star Callum Wilson believes the St James’ Park fanbase and players now share a ‘powerful’ relationship. He also feels the club’s change in owners was a key factor.
Wilson has always felt the passion the Toon supporters have for their club since joining the Magpies in September 2020. The striker headed for Tyneside in a £20m deal after enduring relegation to the Championship with AFC Bournemouth. He spent six years at the Cherries.
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But through his first 13 months in black-and-white, Wilson often sensed frustration among the Newcastle fanbase under Mike Ashley’s ownership. Yet he now feels the fans have the owners they ‘yearned for’ after the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) backed a takeover.
The PIF (80% shareholder), Reuben brothers (10%) and Amanda Staveley (10%) bought the Toon from Ashley in October 2021 for £305m. Newcastle sat 19th in the table and without a win through seven Premier League games under Steve Bruce at the time of the takeover.
One of the PIF’s first acts as owners was to sack Bruce on October 20 and hire Eddie Howe on November 8. The Toon then acquired £12m Kieran Trippier, £25m Chris Wood, £41.5m Bruno Guimaraes, £13m Dan Burn and hired Matt Targett on loan in the January window
Targett completed a £15m permanent transfer in the summer before £35m Sven Botman, £12m Nick Pope, and £63m Alexander Isak arrived on Tyneside. Howe’s additions and his coaching then saw Newcastle start the season with seven wins and six draws in 14 games.
Callum Wilson feels the Newcastle fanbase now have owners they ‘yearned for’
Newcastle have claimed four of their wins and three draws in seven fixtures at St James’ so far this season. The Toon and Premier League table-toppers Arsenal are the only teams yet to suffer a defeat on home soil. Chelsea will travel to face Newcastle on Saturday evening.
Wilson will no doubt expect Newcastle’s fans to create a great atmosphere at home to the Blues. He lauds the relationship the Toon squad and supporters have established now their fans are not frustrated by the ownership and yearning for a change at the top of their club.
“I knew this club had potential when I joined but it was nothing like this,” Wilson told The Telegraph. “The passion was always there from the fans, but they were frustrated under the former owner.
“You get the sense now that they are getting what they have always wanted, what they have yearned for, for so long. The togetherness on a matchday, between fans and players, it’s so strong, so powerful. It’s not like anything I’ve experienced before.”
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