Long-time Ashley associate Charnley leaves Newcastle United

Lee Charnley has left his role as managing director at Newcastle United following the club’s lucrative takeover.

Charnley worked his way through the ranks at St James’ Park across 22 years, holding positions before, during and briefly after Mike Ashley’s unpopular tenure.

With Ashley increasingly absent from the day-to-day running at Newcastle, Charnley took on increased responsibilities while still reporting back to the owner.

He remained in his role initially when a consortium backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund bought the club for £305million last month.

Although reports this week indicated Charnley had hopes of remaining at Newcastle, his departure was confirmed on Friday.

#NUFC can confirm that Lee Charnley has left the club following a handover period with the new ownership group.
 

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) November 19, 2021

“To have been at Newcastle United for 22 years has been an honour and a privilege, and the club, its people and our city will always be very special to me,” Charnley said in a club statement.

“As it enters a new chapter in its history under new owners, I wish Amanda [Staveley], the rest of the board and everyone connected with the club every success.”

Newcastle have been linked with a move for former Chelsea director of football Michael Emenalo, who could be appointed to a similar role on Tyneside.

That hire is set to work alongside Charnley’s replacement, as the statement added: “The club’s new board will continue to oversee all operations. The club has also begun a formal recruitment process to appoint a CEO and will make an announcement in due course.”

New head coach Eddie Howe is set to take charge of his first Newcastle game on Saturday at home to Brentford.

Charnley was said to be involved in the recruitment process that saw Howe hired after Villarreal boss Unai Emery snubbed the Premier League strugglers.