When Mike Ashley bought Newcastle in 2007, the move was viewed with optimism. The club’s new owner was a bona fide billionaire, great news for Magpies fans eager to see the side return to the Champions League, where they had been contesting against of Barcelona, Juventus and Inter Milan just four years earlier.

But Ashley’s ownership at St James’ Park soon saw him become a figure of hate, with legendary manager Kevin Keegan resigning and the club getting relegated from the Premier League for the first time ever in 2009. Over the years, he would become widely criticised by the wider football community, and earn a notorious image for his dealings in the world of sports retail. This is how Mike Ashley became the most hated man in football.