Ex-Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd has stated that owner Mike Ashley has pulled the rabbit out of the hat by convincing manager Rafael Benitez to stay at the club.

Following Newcastle's relegation to the Championship, it was widely expected that Benitez would be leaving St. James' Park this summer.

Surprisingly though, Benitez recently put pen to paper on a new three-year deal with the Ton and former chief Shepherd has hailed current owner Ashley for convincing the Spaniard to stay put.

He told The Sun: "It has to go down as the best bit of business Mike Ashley has done since he took over. Mike has pulled a rabbit out of the hat by getting him to stay.

"It will go some way towards making up for some of the past mistakes. No one is perfect and Mike has made a few wrong turns along the way.

"They needed someone like Rafa to organise things in the same way Chris Hughton did the last time we went down - and Rafa ticks all the boxes.

"He's got a great track record and he's got a terrific amount of experience and that will be perfect for the predicament Newcastle find themselves in."