Motion supports fans having a say. Moves by fans to have a greater say in their football club are set to get a big boost. Newcastle City Council is to consider a motion to get behind supporters having a greater say in the running of Newcastle United .

The Newcastle United Supporters Trust began its efforts last year to get representation for fans in the St James’ Park boardroom, with the long-term aim of staging a fans’ buyout.

And although the council cannot put its name to any cash offer the Trust might make to current owner Mike Ashley for the club, it is prepared to back the principle of fans having a financial stake in NUFC and a say in how it is run.

Council leader John Shipley will propose the motion at a meeting next week, which will be seconded by opposition leader Nick Forbes.

MARK JENSEN is confident “fan power” can help preserve a better future for Newcastle United. The respected Geordie fanzine editor is helping to fly the flag for Newcastle United Supporters Trust.

The Trust hope 2010 can be the year they move a step closer to giving long-suffering Magpies supporters some representation in the St James’ Park boardroom – and even feel a fans’ buyout is feasible in the long-term future.

However, the Trust are also giving supporters some TLC with a sounding board available to fans to vent their spleen via a panel of committee members.

They are also carrying out positive work in the community, alongside organisations such as Wallsend Boys Club, by giving Tyneside youngsters from deprived areas a chance to steer clear of a life of crime by attending matches and participating in workshops across the city.

Now, looking ahead to a more positive future for the Trust and United, the Mag editor and senior member of NUST Jensen told the Chronicle: “The initial phase of the ‘Yes We Can’ campaign was scheduled to run up until Christmas and the response from the fans was unbelievable.

“We knew things would not happen overnight and we are continuing to work behind the scenes with our professional partners to bring about the chance for fans to own a stake in their club.

It was worn first by the Angel of the North – and now another Tyneside landmark has donned the famous number 9.

The legendary 30ft Alan Shearer shirt which starred in a stunt by fans 11 years ago was given a second airing at Newcastle ’s Castle Keep yesterday.

The stunt was launched to mark the end of the first phase of the Newcastle United Supporters ’ Trust ’s (NUST’s) Yes We Can campaign.

The campaign started several months ago to bring together interested parties in a fans-led consortium to take over the St James’ Park club.

Phase Two of the ambitious plan will see a prospectus drawn up with a view to making a bid for the club on the stock exchange.

Mark Jensen, spokesman for the NUST and editor of fanzine The Mag, said: “It’s been a hard but rewarding six-week campaign and we’ve made a fantastic start to what could be a real fans-led buy out of the club.

“We now have in place all of our commercial partners and are already planning phase two of the campaign starting on January 6.

“Fans have been frustrated by the lack of visible progress but a lot has happened, relationships have been cemented and there is real and tangible interest from the city in what we’re doing. We’ll get one chance at doing this and we’ve a duty to make sure it’s correct. And remember it took the Magpie group over two years to acquire control of the club. I can make this promise, the proposal we’re now working on with partners won’t take that long.”

It was back in 1998 that Newcastle United fans paid a spectacular tribute to their hero Alan Shearer by hoisting a replica of his shirt on to Antony Gormley’s 65ft Angel of the North.

In a daring dawn raid, a giant-sized copy of the striker’s black and white strip was draped across the chest of the sculpture, near the A1 at Gateshead.

The shirt stayed up for 20 minutes until police arrived at the scene.

A combination of fishing line, rubber balls and catapults wielded by around 25 people managed to radically redesign the metal creation.

Fans chipped in £100 each for the £1,000 shirt.

The stunt was launched to coincide with Newcastle ’s FA Cup final clash with Arsenal. That match ended in defeat – but fans are hopeful that the buyout campaign will go from strength to strength.

NUST has mounted its campaign to try to raise the funds to buy out owner Mike Ashley.

The group’s plan is for supporters to run the club in the style of Barcelona and many German sides, and will be funded by fans and institutions pledging money or unlocking part of their pension pot. A club president would be elected democratically for a set period of time, and have to stand for re-election.

Over 7,500 disgruntled supporters have already expressed an interest in investing cash in the cause.

Castle’s Fashion StatementT. A Tyneside land-mark got the Toon treatment as part of a publicity campaign. The legendary 30ft Alan Shearer replica strip, which starred in a stunt at the Angel of the North 11 years ago, was given a second airing at Newcastle ’s Castle Keep yesterday.

It was back in 1998 that Newcastle United fans paid a spectacular tribute to their hero by hoisting a copy of his shirt on to the Angel.

In a daring dawn raid, a giant-sized copy of the striker’s black and white strip was draped across the chest of the sculpture. A combination of fishing line, rubber balls and catapults wielded by around 25 people managed to radically redesign the metal creation.

The latest headline-grabber was launched to mark the end of the first phase of the Newcastle United Supporters ’ Trust ’s Yes We Can campaign which aims to bring together interested parties in a fans-led consortium to take over the St James’ Park club.

Mark Jensen, spokesman for the NUST and editor of fanzine The Mag, said: “It’s been a hard but rewarding six-week campaign and we’ve made a fantastic start to what could be a real fans-led buy out of the club.

“We now have in place all of our commercial partners and are all ready planning phase two of the campaign starting on January 6.

“Fans have been frustrated by the lack of visible progress but a lot has happened, relationships have been cemented and there is real and tangible interest from the city in what we’re doing.

“We’ll get one chance at doing this and we’ve a duty to make sure it’s correct and remember it took the Magpie group over two years to acquire control of the club.”

NUST’s plan is for supporters to run the club in the style of Barcelona and many German sides, and will be funded by fans and institutions pledging money or unlocking part of their pension pot.

For information visit the NUST website www.nust.org.uk.