Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley responds to criticism of ‘controversial’ post-season trip to Australia as she says ‘revenue generating trips are crucial to commercial success’
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Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley has taken to social media to respond to widespread criticism of her team’s short post-season Australian tour.
Eyebrows were raised as the Magpies made the trip Down Under just days after the end of a long season with a summer of international football on the horizon.
Newcastle defeated Tottenham on penalties in a friendly in Melbourne, before a second string XI were hammered 8–0 by an A-League All Stars team just two days later.
Few could see the justification for the two matches on the other side of the world, with club legend Alan Shearer calling it ‘madness’ and ‘crazy’.
And Staveley, who spent the weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, admits she understands the concerns.
Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley has responded to criticism of the team’s Australian tour
In a post on Instagram, she wrote: ‘I’ve seen a lot of comments about NUFC Australia’s journey which I’d like to talk about. In addition to being a shareholder, I am first and foremost a fan.
“As a fan, I understand that this trip was controversial. But personal opinions aside, revenue-generating trips are crucial to a club’s commercial success.
“The decision to go was made by management, and ultimately I have to support their decisions.
A second-string Magpies XI were defeated 8-0 by an A-League All-Stars team Down Under
“Nobody wants a fresh team ready for the season more than I do, and we are doing everything we can to support our manager in that regard.
“Mehrdad [Ghodoussi] and I had a very productive work trip to Monaco with a potential sponsor,” Staveley added. We look forward to the new season. We are united.’