Prospective Newcastle owner Barry Moat insists he remains committed to buying out Mike Ashley who has taken the club off the market for the moment. Moat reportedly made a £60million offer up front with guarantees of a further £20m next season to the Sports Direct tycoon, meeting his asking price - however, Ashley wanted the full £80m up front.
"For one reason or another it didn't come to pass," he told Sky Sports News.
"It's extremely disappointing. It's something we'd given up a lot of time and effort and abortive costs with so I've been feeling pretty bruised by the whole process.
"As my wife keeps telling me, 'No-one's died' so you've got to get on. That's fundamentally where I see it now.
"I think from my perspective I don't think Mike Ashley wants to stay at St James' Park for the long term, so I'll never give up.
"I'll keep beavering away in the background and hopefully one day we'll get there."