Welcome to the Business of Sport podcast on The Athletic.

Now, since recording this episode, something rather big has happened that is right up our street.

It finally happened, the takeover of Newcast United by the Saudi Arabia Finance Consortium.

And with the athletics, George Culkin, for some quick reaction.

George, how'd you feel?

Nuckered, to be honest, Matt.

I mean, it's been a very, very busy 24 hours, incredibly hectic, sort of come from the blue, the irony really

of it is after sort of all this time. But, you know, we're talking about 18 months of this

grinding away in the background, as you know perfectly well, writing about it. And really longer

than that, I mean, we've just gone past the four-year anniversary of Amanda St.

Davily going to her first match at St. James's Park and deciding that Newcastle were the club for her. And, you know, those bids fell through, as we know, and now she's come back. I mean,

I think it's the day that Newcastle fans thought wouldn't ever happen,

but Mike Ashley has gone after 14 controversial, difficult, painful, corrosive, toxic years

and they're now facing something much, you know, very, very different and controversial for different reasons.

Well, yes, we're going to get into a little bit of that. And I, and I, look, I'm not going to

leave it all for you to do, George. Thank you. That would be unfair. But look, come on. Let's,

let's talk a little bit about that fan reaction and what this means for people in Newcastle, dare I say, the wider area?

I think that's probably parts of Newcastle that couldn't give a monkeys, but, you know,

just clearly is a regional story.

Yeah, I mean, I do think that the first important thing to say is that it is the end of something.

And, you know, if you're a 20-year-old Newcastle fan, for example,

pretty much the only thing you've ever known is Mike Ashley's ownership of the club. And we're

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