Jeremy Corbyn's comments following his visit to Newcastle may well have irked Mike Ashley, but Steve Bruce now finds himself with an unexpected pledge on January transfers.
Corbyn's accusation that ‘billionaire owners like Mike Ashley’ are ‘ruining our national game’ resulted in Newcastle releasing a carefully worded statement which was approved by the Toon owner and the powers that be.
Newcastle can't escape the fact they are still repaying Ashley money from interest-free loans, but during a time which sees former Premier League sides like Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool, Coventry City and Birmingham City hit hard by financial problems, those close to the Sports Direct magnate argue things could be a lot worse at St James' Park.
They say: "Financially, other than sums provided to the club on a short-term, interest-free basis and repaid to him as intended, we would like to make it clear that Mike Ashley has not taken a penny out of Newcastle United in interest, salary or dividend, as is customary at many clubs."
For Bruce, who hopes to sign a winger and a mobile central midfielder in January, he knows this is only the first phase of his stint in charge.
The standout line in the statement for the Geordie boss will be: "We will not apologise for being financially sustainable, but we will push the boundaries of our budgets as far as possible to maximise the impact on the team."
Corbyn should also take up Newcastle's invite to see the Foundation's work.
Their work in recent years is not only spreading the word of Newcastle United in the community but also improving and in some cases saving lives.
