Amanda Staveley has insisted that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) are still at the table and still 'very passionate' about Newcastle United during an explosive exchange with Simon Jordan.
The financier appeared on talkSPORT on Friday morning to pay tribute to the Newcastle supporters who have travelled down to London to peacefully protest about the club's arbitration dispute against the Premier League being held in private.
The protest follows calls from Mike Ashley, Staveley and Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah for the hearing to take place out in the open this month.
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Staveley spoke about this to host Jim White on Friday morning - admitting 'this arbitration process is critical' to any hopes of a takeover - before co-host Simon Jordan came in.
SJ: "Amanda, the arbitration process, I think you're absolutely right to drive it into the public domain as a matter of course but you know as much as I do that it's got nothing to do with the government. The government have already made their position clear. It's got to do with the Premier League and the 20 clubs, of which Newcastle are one of, to change the rules."
AS: "Sorry, Simon. You're saying it's got nothing to do with....what are you saying?"
SJ: "What I'm saying is. As you know, the government have already responded through the DCMS saying, 'It's nothing to do with them about the internal processes of the Premier League. It's for the Premier League to resolve that'. The 20 clubs in the Premier League - of which Newcastle is one - are well-gifted to change that rule to bring arbitration and matters like this into the public domain and transparency is a matter of course. It's for the Premier League and for the 20 clubs. Newcastle have had 28 years to vote for a change around transparency of arbitration rules. My point is: you're barking at the moon."
AS: "Simon, I think actually you're wrong and I'll tell you why. Sport has changed. You said you've got 28 years and you're barking at the moon. Well, actually, football has changed dramatically in the last two years because of COVID. I know you're not pro our deal and I'm not going to get into a spitting fight over on talkSPORT. You have your opinion and that's fine but you've never met me. You don't know who I am. You've never looked at our business plan and you aren't aware of the facts over the last few years."
SJ: "Amanda, you just said you didn't want to have a battle so let's not get into that because now you're getting into it."
AS: "Just give me a chance to answer your question. The Premier League have a right to vote this and that's what we might do. That's what we ask to do but there is a board. The Premier League is run by a board and that board is allowed to make decisions about how these processes run. Now, arbitration was a particular point on a particular point of law. It is not something that you can say is typical of the process that has been going on to do with sports arbitration over the last year. If the Premier League can make that decision...you're right, the government have said this process should be transparent. They're supportive of it. Why don't you think Simon it should be? Tell me why."
SJ: "Amanda, you haven't listened because I absolutely agree with you that the process should be transparent. We're in a different world now and the idea that these sort of things should be held behind closed doors is a very dated concept, but it is the gift of the 20 clubs in the Premier League of which 14 can make a quorum to say to the Premier League board, who work for the 20 clubs: 'We want to put this to a vote and we want to change the rules to make transparency part of the modern day reporting process'. So we're in the same space Amanda but we're doing it from a different perspective. What you're doing is rabble rousing and getting a gullible fanbase to believe that the dynamics of what you're trying to achieve is going to give an outcome when really and truly the government have been very clear: 'Back to the Premier League. You go and resolve this.'"
AS: "We've asked the Premier League to resolve it and they can have a vote on this. They can have a vote on providing transparency but what I think you will find....the Premier League offered this arbitration process. They didn't say to all the other clubs: 'We want to have this process. Is this OK?' They had to have the ability to go out and do this."
SJ: "It's a fundamental right of any club, isn't it Amanda?"
AS: "All we're saying is we want this in arbitration and saying that the fanbase is gullible is absolutely ridiculous."
JW: "Give those fans travelling to London a final couple of sentences. What do you want to say to them?"
AS: "We are looking forward to welcoming you into St James' Park and we're looking forward to trying to get this transaction over the wall - and it will do."
SJ: "Are the Saudis still there by the way Amanda because they walked away?
AS: "Look, we've made our position clear, Jim, and thank you very much. I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank the fans."
SJ: "So are the Saudis still there Amanda? Are the Saudis still wanting to do a deal?"
AS: "We are all there Mr Jordan. We are all very passionate about Newcastle - all the consortium members are. I made that very clear in my last two interviews last week and the week before. I've made it clear to Sky and I made it clear to Tyne Tees so thank you very much Jim. Thanks to the fans."
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