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NTL What's Happening?

American media giants NTL have agreed to buy a larger share of NUFC by buying another 3 % of Douglas Halls share . It is believed that they paid £1.55p for each of the shares believed to be worth £6 million to Douglas hall. NTL have increased their stake to just under £10% in the club, which is the maximum currently allowed by the government for a TV operator to own in a football club.

Bigger News though is that they will become the clubs main sponsor and new shirts for the next 5 years will bear the NTL logo.

NTL in return have agreed to loan NUFC £25 million interest free for the next 5 years. At the end of the 5 year period the £25 million will be repaid in more of the Hall family shares. This would give NTL around another 15% of the club shares which is not under legislation currently allowed. Cameron Hall developments who Douglas hall is the chairman of have also sold 25% of the 47% stake in the club to a private offshore trust, owned by the Hall Family . NTL will become the third largest largest shareholder in NUFC, and when government rules are amended to allow larger shares of clubs to be owned by media groups then I am sure that NTL will increase their share eventually buying out all of the Hall family's interest in the club.

The current shareholders in the club are :-

Wynyard (Guernsey Ltd) , The Hall family's independent trust fund

 25.2 %

Cameron Hall Developments, Builders of the Metro Centre, Wynyard Hall and Portuguese theme parks. Chairman Douglas Hall .

22%

NTL, New York based Media . One of the largest Cable TV and Telephone / Internet companies partly owned by Microsoft . Chief Executive Barclay Knapp

9.8%

Shepherd Offshore, Freddie Shepherds offshore construction company.

8.1%

Hatton , Also believed to be involved in the construction industry

3 %

City institutions and Fans of NUFC.

31.9%

Shearer - NTLThe £25 million will be given mainly to the manager in the hope that new players capable of bringing success back to Newcastle can be purchased.

Newcastle Breweries, who have sponsored the club since 1980, will still be involved with Newcastle United, but from next year the shirts will bear the NTL logo. This will mean another two new shirts will be released for next season.

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