Dan Ashworth - Newcastle DoF currently tending to his garden

[diarm]

It will be interesting to see what happens if Newcastle try acting the maggots here. They paid Brighton 5m so no tribunal in the land is going to sign off on 20m a couple of years later.

They obviously feel they have a strong position in the contract, but there have been reports that Ashworth is unhappy with the setup and his role compared to what he was promised.

If they start enforcing points of the contract and he can show his job description arriving said one thing, but in fact he’s been playing second fiddle to Eddie and his nephew in reality, Newcastle might end up losing him for nothing.

I reckon they kick up a fuss for a week or two and he ends up joining us for a quiet 6-7m early in March.

 

[strandty]

Restrictive covenants can only be enforced for a period deemed reasonable to protect trade secrets/legit business interests. No way if it went to tribunal they’d agree two years is reasonable.

 

[diarm]

Fecker will have a hell of a garden after these few years!

 

[Swedish_Plumber]

A gentleman and a scholar, thank you!

 

[cyberman]

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To be fair it reads as tabloid bullshit who don’t know the law. I’m sure Newcastle aren’t this petty

 

[Berbaclass]

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[Chairman Steve]

Im sure the geordies are taking this well. Any recommendations of where I can bask in their saltiness?

Usual social media outlets I’d say.

From the stuff I’ve seen, there’s mostly salt but some of the more level headed fans know this is a huge loss to them, and stings considerably more that it’s us.

 

[cyberman]

Always thought it was around the playing squad. Where does it stop? Do we need to account for Kaths wages?

The club are paying the wages so it goes through the clubs accounts?

 

[Pexbo]

The other consideration is that Newcastle are going to have to replace him. That will be easier said than done if they publicly treat the predecessor like turd.

 

[Fr. Todd Unctious]

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Jim should do it for the laugh

 

[Swedish_Plumber]

“Man Utd are doing everything they can to ensure we don't progress as a club. I hope we make this situation extremely difficult for them. I want £20m+ or Ashworth can spend the next 18 months sitting on his arse at home. Don't give these even an inch. They would never return the favour”.

Ok maaate. It’s got nothing to do with how shite we’ve been for 10+ years and improving ourselves.

You. Are. Massive.

 

[cyberman]

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Exactly. Who the feck would know if he startered working off the books for us? Who would tout him in? A United board member?
Newcastle would just be paying our DOF to work for us

 

[Nori-]

Why cant he just hand in a resignation and serve out a short notice period like any other job in the country?

My only guess is, part of his contract says if he resigns he can't work for any division rivals for a set period? maybe a year?

 

[horsechoker]

Introducing our new director of football: Jan Gashworth

 

[strandty]

Exactly. Who the feck would know if he startered working off the books for us? Who would tout him in? A United board member?
Newcastle would just be paying our DOF to work for us

He will already be having calls/providing data/speaking with the board. What they going to do? Tap his phones? Actually, it is Saudi so wouldn’t put it past them

 

[the_box]

The other consideration is that Newcastle are going to have to replace him. That will be easier said than done if they publicly treat the predecessor like turd.

Absolutely no one who wants to be considered for the job will blink twice at him being placed on gardening leave and us holding out for a massive compo, given the circumstances.

 

[Berbaclass]

 

[DWelbz19]

Why cant he just hand in a resignation and serve out a short notice period like any other job in the country?

My only guess is, part of his contract says if he resigns he can't work for any division rivals for a set period? maybe a year?

Correct. Those are called restrictive covenants and will typically be for a period of 6-12 months. His garden leave (again, which will probably be around 3-6 months) will cover a big part of those covenants.

 

[diarm]

Absolutely no one who wants to be considered for the job will blink twice at him being placed on gardening leave and us holding out for a massive compo, given the circumstances.

Depends how messy it gets. If it goes to tribunal and Ashworths team push the “he wasn’t given the role he was promised” angle because Eddie and his nepo baby nephew kept him out of their inner circle (as has already been alluded to), then any serious candidate might pause for concern.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Absolutely no one who wants to be considered for the job will blink twice at him being placed on gardening leave and us holding out for a massive compo, given the circumstances.

Well any sane person will know they aren’t going to stay at Newcastle forever. So who wants to be treated like a slave?

 

[Chairman Steve]

Why cant he just hand in a resignation and serve out a short notice period like any other job in the country?

My only guess is, part of his contract says if he resigns he can't work for any division rivals for a set period? maybe a year?

I think it’s something along those lines, like we can get him a year from now for nothing, but that‘s a year from now which essentially delays the things INEOS want to get rolling. Maybe theres some scope that Ashworth and United can threaten legal action if the release from gardening leave is too unreasonable, and in fact should be less.

It’ll be interesting to see the legal team of an international conglomerate against the legal team of a country battle it out over that.

 

[the_box]

Well any sane person will know they aren’t going to stay at Newcastle forever. So who wants to be treated like a slave?

He isn't being treated like one. Gardening leave is part and parcel of the way things operate in those echelons. Us not wanting to lose him cheaply to a rival is a very sensible position to have, no? Anyone hoping to replace him would understand that instantly.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Sounds like a great tribunal opportunity.

Newcastle are posturing, but Ashworth will be in situ by the summer without a doubt.

6 months gardening leave at most, value of his current contract paid in compensation, and unless Newcastle are spending more than they report, it ain’t £20m.

 

[AltiUn]

He isn't being treated like one. Gardening leave is part and parcel of the way things operate in those echelons. Us not wanting to lose him cheaply to a rival is a very sensible position to have, no? Anyone hoping to replace him would understand that instantly.

We aren't really rivals though, maybe Newcastle think of United as rivals but it's not really mutual.

 

[r3idy]

Its a load of nonsense . If we refuse to pay and they stick him on garden leave tnen they still need another sporting director,

 

[DWelbz19]

I think it’s something along those lines, like we can get him a year from now for nothing, but that‘s a year from now which essentially delays the things INEOS want to get rolling. Maybe theres some scope that Ashworth and United can threaten legal action if the release from gardening leave is too unreasonable, and in fact should be less.

It’ll be interesting to see the legal team of an international conglomerate against the legal team of a country battle it out over that.

Garden leave typically cannot exceed a notice period. Ashworth’s notice period is almost certainly going to be around 3-6 months for a person of his seniority.

 

[Teja]

For me it's sorted

The DoF we were clamoring for since Fergie days is finally here. Let's see us modernize - it'll probably take a couple of years but the league isn't ready.

 

[Semper Fudge]

He's probably handed his notice in, hence them putting him on garden leave. That can't exceed the notice period, can it?

 

[Maagge]

I can't wait for the Aston Villa's receptionist transfer saga. And maybe it's time to start KitmanCafe?

 

[the_box]

We aren't really rivals though, maybe Newcastle think of United as rivals but it's not really mutual.

Not rivals in the traditional sense (e.g. you lot and liverpool, or us and sunderland), but more in the "competing for the scraps behind city, arsenal and liverpool" terms, at least as of this moment in time. Granted we've cocked up this year but the ambition remains and you lot have a lot of rebuilding to do as well. Letting Dan go for nowt to any of the trailing clubs we're likely to be around in the table would just be daft.

 

[Castia]

They aren’t getting anywhere near 20m and won’t want to pay him his contract until 2026 either so they’ll cave before we do. Bet it gets done for around 12m tops.

 

[Berbaclass]

Ratcliffe and Saudis are probably on decent terms with the amount of business they do together. This is all PR

 

[bosnian_red]

He's going to not start until 2026 the same way that Ineos haven't yet been ratified so technically haven't started, and Berrada was a Glazer appointment...

 

[horsechoker]

He's going to not start until 2026 the same way that Ineos haven't yet been ratified so technically haven't started, and Berrada was a Glazer appointment...

Saudi Arabia could declare war on the UK because of this.

 

[Paul778]

They aren’t getting anywhere near 20m and won’t want to pay him his contract until 2026 either so they’ll cave before we do. Bet it gets done for around 12m tops.

12m is still a joke- it'll get settled for no more than 5m. He can just put a shed in this garden he has to stay in and do everything via zoom. Ultimately I'm sure United will want his feet on the ground at Carrington but if the toon ask for silly money then Brailsford will just act as his on the ground proxy there - they are besties already which is why he was already favourite for the job.

 

[Paul778]

He's probably handed his notice in, hence them putting him on garden leave. That can't exceed the notice period, can it?

nope. The could try to put an exclusitivity period beyond the notice period but those (when the guy is no longer being paid salary) are very difficult to enforce. It's like saying if you leave you can't get paid for six months in the same industry, which is the industry his key skills are in.

 

[TrebleChamp99]

Won’t be an issue and imagine it will
Be resolved fairly swiftly.

Newcastle wil want to move on.
INEOS will want to crack on.

They will pay 10m and get him in now which is an insane fee anyway but vastly important for us.

 

[UnitedSofa]

Jim should do it for the laugh

This would 1000% be illegal surely

 

[#07]

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Exactly this.

Have to say, I'm impressed by the way INEOS is putting the pieces into place at United. When the Ashworth talk started I thought it was maybe just a bit of media make believe. Dave Brailsworth knows him, put 2+2 together etc. Impressive that the club actually managed to make it happen.

 

[SuperiorXI]

This will be sorted quickly