Freddy Shepherd has opened the door to a sensational return to Newcastle United.
The Sunday Express says Shepherd, who still regrets joining Sir John Hall in selling out to Mike Ashley, confessed: "If the price was right I'd look at buying the club."
One of Shepherd's last acts as Toon supremo was to sanction the signing of Joey Barton for £5.8million from Manchester City.
He has looked on in bewilderment as the row between the player and the Toon management escalated, and Shepherd believes the situation could have been handled better.
"Barton's a £6m player, there's no doubt about that," he said. "Football, though, is like no other business. You wouldn't look to get rid of an asset like him for nothing in any other industry."
Shepherd would love to be back in the boardroom - but he can't see it happening. "I don't think Mike would sell to me," he said. "Maybe for a billion pounds!"
