LONDON TOON? Trying to run United from the capital is recipe: for disaster, warns United old boy

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), June 18, 2009

Byline: LEE RYDER

MICK MARTIN says he is angered that Newcastle United are being run from London during the club's 'for sale' period.

With Mike Ashley a permanent "stay away" from St James's Park and Derek Llambias - apart from fleeting visits to Tyneside operating from his capital base and working with investment bankers Seymour Pierce - the St James's Park boardroom, like the managerial hotseat, lies gathering dust.

Martin believes that can only lead to trouble for Newcastle who were handed a tough start to life in the Championship with a tricky opening to the campaign.

He told the Chronicle: "Last year we had Dennis Wise working from London as director of football and that didn't work..

"And the way it's going at the moment doesn't work either.

"For me, having Derek Llambias in as managing director is one thing but unless you have him working Monday-Friday from his desk in Newcastle, it's not going to work at all.

"If you have people working within the club that have questions, they need answers quickly and face to face if things are to run smoothly.

"If you have staff asking 'can we do that? or can we do this?', where does it leave you? Llambias should be working here every day until the sale of the club goes through - simple as that.

"You can't be coming up for odd days and then swanning around London." Martin is also concerned that the club is being sold from London and believes that prospective buyers should make the journey to Tyneside if they want to own the once proud Magpies.

He added: "There are brokers' offices in Newcastle too.

"Fair enough if you had people like Kevin Keegan, Mike Ashley or Alan Shearer involved in the sale, it would be different.

"People recognise them and it causes a stir.

"But half of these people involved in buying Newcastle, we wouldn't recognise.

"They could walk around Newcastle unnoticed and go into any bar or restaurant.

"Running it from London is simply unprofessional."