Everyone's got an opinion about Mike Ashley, the owner of the much-talked-about Newcastle United.

Many won't agree, but I kind of like the fact he stands with the fans and downs a pint followed by a pie.

Ashley is Newcastle through and through, but is causing his own downfall at the moment.

Why employ a manager to manage, when he is not allowed to manage?

If you are going to appoint a director of football - Dennis Wise - over the manager's head without his knowledge or input in the appointment, surely it will cause problems?

It happened at Portsmouth when Harry Redknapp walked out after the appointment of an unknown foreigner as director of football.

I like Wise, a good young manager. But what he is doing at Newcastle I'll never understand.

If you appoint a director of football, then you don't need a manager - just a first team coach. It's not hard to see why it will go wrong from day one.

I am just a broadcast journalist and can see that, so why can't billionaire Ashley with his business success see it too?


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It was Sunday paper time, with a coffee on the go and the odd chocolate biscuit to the side.

But it was also the moment I did something for the first time this season - had a good look at the league tables.

The Conference South - oh! Have I got it upside down?

Eight games gone and just two points from a possible 24 for Bognor Regis Town.

I always said we couldn't judge the new team until we had played 8-10 games this season, but that time is here and it's worth a quick first look.

Firstly, I have not seen Bognor play this season because of work commitments. My opinions are based on the table and what I have read.

When Mick Jenkins and Andy Awford came into the club, I thought it was a brilliant coup - and still do. These guys have a wealth of experience between them and they need time to get things right.

They had three players - probably 15 short - when pre-season began.

It's going to take time to find any team, never mind build your own team. You could say that although Mick and Andy brought in plenty of players, it wasn't their team.

Now, that may not make sense to some - but think. They needed to get a team together first and foremost. Anyone with boots and could travel was playing. It wasn't the management's team.

Now, the spine is growing and so is the management's team.

The arrival of Chris Tardif in goal, and Gary MacDonald joining Duncan Jupp at the back, gives the side a very good base.

And with the likes of Hinshelwood, Jackson and the good signing of Pettefer it won't be long before it soon becomes their team.

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Dean Adams is a sports producer for BBC Southern Counties radio.
Catch him on the Brighton & Hove Albion football fans phone-in live on 104.8FM