Newcastle United hero Rob Lee has attacked the Mike Ashley regime.

Lee wrote in the Evening Chronicle: "Another set of statements from the Newcastle United boardroom, another debate over what exactly is the plan at St James' Park.

"It has been five years since we were told that under Mike Ashley the club would be challenging for "everything" about now.

"Yet sometimes I wonder if there is or ever has been any type of plan at all.

"I know the vision when I was there was to be THE top club in England. We did not quite make it but we were not afraid to signal our intentions under Kevin Keegan.

"Don't get me wrong, Newcastle have very good players - but if they pick up injuries along the way this season I do think they will struggle.

"Certainly they are not going to win the Premier League and in truth under the current regime it appears seventh to 10th is the height of the ambition.

"In my view, that is well below what the potential of Newcastle United actually is as a club."