Malcolm Shiels, a committee member for the Newcastle United Supporters Trust , urged fans, the media and supporters ’ groups to unite in telling Mike Ashley that his bid to sell the ground’s naming rights was pointless. He insisted that the stadium had been known as St James’s Park for more than 100 years and always would be.

He said: “As a fan, as an individual and as a committee member I totally concur with the survey’s findings that the club should not be seeking sponsors for the ground.

Newcastle United Supporters ’ Trust claims Mike Ashley is selling off the history of the club for quick cash. Alastair Craig spoke to leading member Colin Whittle. "Mike Ashley has a long tradition of largely making the wrong decisions during his error-strewn tenure. From his controversial appointments to one of the most damning indictments in an industrial tribunal of the practices of his business, Ashley’s record is consistent - consistently wrong.

Just when you thought he couldn’t top it, he comes up with the idea of re-naming the stadium, our St James’s Park as a money-making move. He proposes to turn one of the most famous footballing brands in the country into whoever comes up with the right amount of cash."

Killer: put your Trust in the fans. He may now live in Portugal but Brian Kilcline is only a heartbeat away from Newcastle United . The big, pony-tailed warrior of a centre-half, who Kevin Keegan called his most influential signing during the Entertainers years, was left bemused and shocked by the relegation turmoil at his old club.

However, amid the wreckage of the Toongate scandal involving Keegan and the YouTube transfer farce, Kilcline has hailed the birth of fan power.

United ’s Supporters Trust has been officially launched in the last 48 hours with its principle aim to buy a stake in the club.

Having looked into the abyss, Kilcline declared: “That can be the way forward out of chaos because the fans have always been United ’s biggest asset by far.

Hope For ambitious "Yes We Can" campaign. An audacious bid to buy Newcastle United from owner Mike Ashley was officially launched yesterday. Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) announced its ambitious ‘Yes We Can’ campaign, at Newcastle Civic Centre.

As the Chronicle revealed yesterday the scheme is partly based on fans taking £20,000 from their pension fund to buy a stake in the club, which is on the market for around £100m. The group believe the way the club has been run for the last few years means it is time for the fans to take over.

More than £20m has already been secured from businesses and individuals, and the trust are confident more can be raised to reach the magic figure.