Newcastle owner Mike Ashley pulls plug on staff wages - but Toon stars still getting paid

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has become the first Premier League chief to stop paying staff – by ordering scores onto furlough.

While Steve Bruce's players and coaching chiefs, who collectively earn £100m, remain on full pay for now, most of the general workforce are sidelined as the coronavirus panic threatens to cause a cash crisis in the game.

They include staff from the club's charity arm, the Newcastle United Foundation.

Last week they were working to deliver food parcels and contacting elderly season ticket holders – but have now been ordered to stop work and claim their wages from the Government.

Newcastle players will still collect their wages despite Mike Ashley's decision (Action Images via Reuters)

The move will hardly make a dent in the club's costs – and questions are being asked as to why staff who make up a fraction of the club's wage bill are taking the first hit and suffering.

St James' Park employees were told by email at 9am on Monday to sign up for the Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which gives workers 80pc of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500.

Staff at the Academy, scouts, and media and admin workers have all been sidelined, but no-one working with the first team.

Premier League clubs have been discussing wage cuts or deferrals for players, and action is likely to be agreed collectively.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has become the first Premier League chief to stop paying staff (Getty)

However it is believed to be a highly sensitive issue. Players are more likely to accept a wage deferral.

Even Premier League clubs are concerned about cash flow with matchday revenues wiped out by football's shut-down.

Newcastle's annual income is £180m and would appear to have leeway in the cautious way the club has been run to take a hit, but others do not.

Last week Leeds United players and coaching staff including Marcelo Bielsa agreed to take a wage deferral so that non-playing staff could be paid.

St James' Park employees were told to sign up for the Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Getty)

Barcelona are in talks with their stars over a 70pc wage deferral.

The Government's wage protection scheme was designed to protect jobs during the Covid-19 crisis, easing the wage burden on companies and allowing staff to return to work when the lockdown is lifted rather than being made redundant.

However it is also helping bail Newcastle United out who receive £130m in Premier League TV cash last season and spend £8.8m a year on agents fees.