Newcastle United season ticket sales are facing a 20-year low.

The Sun says fed-up fans have snubbed St James' Park with more than half yet to renew their seats in protest at the limbo caused by Mike Ashley's snail-paced sale bid and the damaging delay in Alan Shearer's return as boss.

Just six years ago, thousands were on a waiting list. But three months into Ashley's latest bid to sell, many have refused to shell out up to £600 for a Championship campaign.

Fears are growing sales could dip to the levels of 1991, when an average crowd of 21,000 saw Kevin Keegan keep them out of the old Third Division.

Mark Jensen, editor of The Mag fanzine said: "I don't blame people for taking a reality check and thinking 'Where's my money going? Where is this club going?' Those renewing are doing so through blind loyalty."