Newcastle fans group to protest as Saudi owners announce £70.4m cash boost

A Newcastle United football club supporter stands with a flag above the club logo at their stadium St James’ Park in Newcastle upon Tyne in northeast England on October 8, 2021. – A Saudi-led consortium completed its takeover of Premier League club Newcastle United on October 7 despite warnings from Amnesty International that the deal represented “sportswashing” of the Gulf kingdom’s human rights record. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Newcastle fans opposed to the club’s Saudi owners are to stage a protest highlighting human rights abuses in the Gulf state ahead of Saturday’s match at home to Chelsea.

Wednesday’s announcement by NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing came as Newcastle’s ownership group revealed it had invested a further £70.4 million ($80.3 million, 80.1 million euros) into the northeast side.

The consortium which took control at St James’ Park in October last year is 80 percent funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund chaired by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Wednesday’s cash injection means the ownership group have now invested more than £450 million into the club.

The additional financial clout has been reflected on the field with Newcastle, one of the best-supported teams in England but without a major domestic trophy in 67 years, now third in the Premier League following Sunday’s 4-1 win at Southampton.

But the Saudi involvement at Newcastle has proved controversial.

Some campaigners have been accusing the country of using the club to distract attention from human rights abuses including mass executions, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and discrimination against women and homosexuals.

A spokesperson for NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing told Britain’s PA news