Mort in as Shepherd leaves Toon

FREDDY SHEPHERD’S colourful and often controversial reign as Newcastle chairman finally came to an end yesterday when the club confirmed he had been replaced by Chris Mort.

Shepherd agreed to sell his 28% shareholding to billionaire Mike Ashley last month for more than £37 million (€55 million), but was asked to remain in his position. However, Ashley yesterday promoted Mort, a 41-year-old lawyer, from deputy chairman.

Mort said: “I am delighted to become chairman of such a fabulous club. The strategic review of the club is going well and, with the new season fast approaching, we feel the time is right to make the change.

“I would like to thank Freddy Shepherd for all he has done for the club over the last 15 years.”

Shepherd is understood to have severed all official ties with the club. He leaves the Magpies with a parting gift after settling a £10m compensation dispute with the FA last month over Michael Owen’s World Cup injury.

Shepherd had become increasingly unpopular with supporters.

Their protests grew ever more vocal during last season’s run-in, which saw the Magpies fail to score a league goal at home in over eight hours of football, their worst run in over half a century.

Shepherd sacked Glenn Roeder in May and made Sam Allardyce the club’s fifth manager in 10 years, but after fighting off two projected takeover bids the fans became restless.

Shepherd’s career was blighted by controversy. In 1998 he and fellow director Douglas Hall were secretly filmed deriding Newcastle women and mocking star striker Alan Shearer.

In August 2004, Shepherd sacked veteran manager Bobby Robson just four games into the new season.

Shepherd appointed Graeme Souness as Robson’s successor but signings such as Jean-Alain Boumsong and Albert Luque proved expensive flops.

Souness left in 2006 but Roeder, failed to reverse the slide, finishing last season in 13th place.