Newcastle United chairman Chris Mort is positive to leave the club this summer to return to his role as co-head of London law firm Freshfields, and Mike Ashley is look set to name Mort’s deputy chairman Derek Llambias as the new Newcastle United chairman.

Although many of the Toon Army is already known that Chris Mort would be just a temporary figure in his position as the club chairman, but the appoitment of Derek Llambias is possibly raising another doubt for the future of the Magpies, as this club will lead by someone else outside the football field.

Magpies zone contributor Clarky is prefer us see hire a proper Chairman or Chief Executive, say of David Dein’s standing, to who Ashley could totally delegate responsibility for running the football club.

The appointment of Chris Mort in July last year was also questionable at first time, as he has no experience in managing a football club before. But, many Toon supporters believe that Chris Mort main job is to balancing the club accounts and to free the club from debts.

Former club owner Sir John Hall said Mort’s departure was to be expected when Mike Ashley took over his club and hired Chris Mort to head up his negotiating team.

“I think he probably had an agreement to stay and complete the legalities needed to take the club private and consolidate Mike’s takeover.” Sir John said. “Give the people time. It’s a business and you’ve got to consolidate, learn and go forward. I’m sure we’ve done that this season.”

I hope so…

The Ibrox lads will have a visit to St. James’s Park in August 6th for a friendly game with Newcastle United according a report from Setanta, while the Primera Liga club Valencia is next to follow on August 9th.

After receiving the warning from United’s authority about Toon’s transfer policy to only sign younger player in the summer that could down the prospect of getting City’s skipper Richard Dunne, Kevin Keegan is now keen to take Spanish Carlos Cuellar to Newcastle.

United chief of recruitment Dennis Wise also reported having plans to weighing up our bid to £9million for the Spanish giant, after seeing the player in last week’s UEFA Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium. Cuellar, 26, has made big impact in his first season with Gers since signing from Osasuna last summer.

If the deal goes through, Ibrox manager Walter Smith will be looking for Alan Smith as a swap deal. I can see there’s no harm for us if we let Smith join the SPL team, but Smith £60,000-a-week wages will be a problem for Rangers. My suggestion for Alan Smith, being a Rangers fan, I hope you willing to receive less and play for them.

From other transfer news, United is also fancy FC Basel’s 19-year-old striker Eren Derdiyok who scored against England for Switzerland at Wembley when he came on as a second-half sub in February. Kevin Keegan is also keen to make a double £8m swoop for Galatasaray’s Arda Turan and Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez.

Meanwhile, another Toon reported target Morocco international, Mbark Boussoufa is set to sign a new deal with his current club Anderlecht, to end any speculation of his move to Tyneside.

After admitted the charges last month, Joey Barton was jailed for six months on Tuesday after admitting assault during a night out in Liverpool in December last year.

On his trail today, Judge Globe told Barton that without doubt, the most serious from the other offenders (his cousin Nadine Wilson and his brother Andrew Barton) is him.

On the hearing at the trial, Barton admitted his badly behaviour on that night was the result of his drinking problem. He was drinking 10 pints of lager and five more bottles before assaulting a man and a teenager.

After hearing the news that Barton was going to jailed for at least 6 months, PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor is hopeful Joey Barton will still have the future in football, for his current club and maybe next to play for the England. Despite his imprisonment for assault and affray, Taylor sees Barton as a player with ability and there will always be other clubs looking to take the opportunity to try and improve things around him.

Meanwhile, the club statement only saying to take notes of the sentence passed to Joey Barton at Liverpool Crown Court today and considering the verdict before making further comments.

I’m little disappointed and more apprecite what Keegan said on the day of his appointment as Newcastle manager for the second time. King Kev told Barton that as a Newcastle United player he will support him 100 per-cent and will help him in whatever way he can.

Keegan also said Barton needs help and the best people to help him are the people that know him and we (Keegan) know him. That’s the way of a good manager should handle the situation.

The response from Toon Army was varied between demanding him to leave the club sooner than later and those who still have confidence in him just like Keegan has. Personally, I want us to keep him and hope he will be totally new person after his sentence is over, which predicted will not be longer than 3 months.

I also (still) see Barton as the excellent player when someone has the power to control him. I hope we didn’t forget his contribution in Toon relegation escape this season, especially in a winning match against Spurs. That was when his mind is still not free from any sentence that could happening to him before today. And I believe Keegan can make him back as he used to be, in terms of a good footballer.

What is going on with Newcastle? I can agree of the policy to sign young player to play for Black-and-White but if there’s more mature, experienced player available and he’s good enough then we will not going to sign him?

From the Irish soccer, there’s one rather shocking news about Richard Dunne’s age is likely to scupper his chances of a move to Newcastle United this summer. I really could not believe it, what the hell the Three Muskeeters are in full control to judge who is good or not to play but not the manager himself?

It was once being reported that their main duty is to fill in the reserve squad for the future, but if they also taking part in senior squad, then I can see that Keegan’s second coming will end-up in tears just like in 1996.

Northern Echo newspaper also reporting Toon gaffer Keegan has been informed that the summer transfer money will only be made available to sign young players with a higher sell-on value, very nice one Mike! You’re truly one greedy businessman, and I can see now that your true colors are not in Black-and-White but more into the colors of money.

The Journal Live is writing about Kevin Keegan’s targeting the fourth front man to complement Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka next season. Keegan is to believe have been scouting VfB Stuttgart’s Mario Gómez and St Etienne’s Bafetimbi Gomis.

Stuttgart’s 22-year-old target man Gomez, played on last weekend’s VfB draw 2-2 with Arminia Bielefeld where he scored a penalty for his side to qualified for next season’s Intertoto Cup.

Gomez, who also qualifies if he wants to play for Spain beside the German national team has scored 28 goals in 32 club appearances this season and six goals in nine international appearance.

With Milan, Fiorentina, Juventus, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are all said to be monitoring him while Stuttgart coach Armin Veh is saying that every team who interested in Gomez will have to ready with at least £40m for his services.

Newcastle will also have to fight to get the 22-year-old Bafetimbi Gomis with rumours persisting of Milan’s interest in Adebayor, Wenger could see him as possible replacement at the Emirates. Other team that also keen to sign the 6ft 3in tall striker are Marseille and Sevilla.

Peter Taylor, former manager at Leicester City, England caretaker manager and Under-21 coach, who left Stevenage Borough two weeks ago have been offered to take on Newcastle United Academy.

“Dennis rang me for a general chat a couple of weeks ago and then we had a cup of coffee and another talk yesterday,” said Taylor.

Southend-born Taylor has widely known as the high-profile and the most experienced in football to take the job as the director of United Academy. When Keegan resigned the England job in 2000, he was the one the FA turned to in a caretaker capacity for one match against Italy.

His two spells as the England Under-21 manager, brought in several young players through and has been working with Steven Taylor when he played for the England Under-21 side. Peter was also briefly served as Wise’s manager at Leicester City.

When asking about the report we are chasing Peter Taylor, Magpies Zone correspondent Clarky said he might be being rather machiavellian over this, but find it a curious move actually.

“I certainly agree that Pete appears to be a top coach, albeit one who has failed several times to establish himself as a club manager. Indeed, I seem to recall he actually managed the full England team as a stand-in.”

“Having said all of that, it seems to me that KK is regarded by the powers-that-be at SJP as Team Coach, rather than the old-style Team Manager. So, why do we feel the need to bring in another top coach at this time.” Clarky added “Please note, I’m not against us having more than one top coach, only a tad curious or suspicious as to what might underpin the move.”

Furthermore, Clarky was putting his cards on the table, and wondering whether the club is planning to eventually replace KK with a management team of Wise and Taylor.

If so, there may be no plan to replace KK in the short-term. In fact, this may be being seen as the establishment of a succession plan to replace Keegan at the end of his contract, ie. 3 years hence, but one which could always be activated sooner, if necessary.

With Keegan’s summer transfer kitty reported to be (only) £20m, he could be tempted to take any deal that come to him regarding to any Newcastle players. The current rumours said Charles N’Zogbia could leave St James’ if Newcastle receive an enticing bid.