Latics director is just one of the lads

Mike Newton: just one of the lads

Newton at his happiest on Latics’ training ground
LEN Shackleton's autobiography famously contained a chapter entitled 'The Average Director's Knowledge of Football'. It was a single blank page.

The line goes that football people and directors don't mix — but Mike Newton is doing his bit to chisel away at that idea. For this son of Stoke, boardrooms and buffets come a firm second to practice pitches and passing drills.

A trader for a hedge fund who is based on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, dual-citizen Newton says he has returned to Boundary Park to invest in the club. In return, he gets a part of himself back.

"It isn't about wanting to make money out of football or anything like that," said the 41-year-old of his comeback. When you are not involved, you realise how much you miss it. It is like having a leg cut off.

"The money side of things is important to support the playing side. But I just enjoy being around the club. I have good banter with the manager, the staff and the players and I feel strongly that we can progress."

Athletic's newest board member is in his second spell at the club, having not seen eye-to-eye with chairman Simon Corney last time around, two seasons ago. The differences that brought about his resignation in the aftermath of a home defeat by Charlton have now been patched up.

Cambridge-educated Newton — seen by some as a maverick — saw take-over bids at Port Vale and Stockport hit the buffers in the intervening years. Now, he is content to exert influence from the background at Boundary Park.

And back on his beloved football, Newton believes in the job manager Paul Dickov is doing and sees no reason why Athletic can't gain promotion to the npower Championship.

"Last time, we had differing ideas of where we wanted the club to go," he said. “Simon and I are much more on the same page now. I believe he has done a really good job as chairman. As for Paul, he is very organised and uses his staff well. I have been impressed by the way scouting reports and input of the other coaches has been integrated into clear game plans. He gives players support and won't have any nonsense.

But he isn't afraid to change things: "I think as a team, we have to continue to do the simple things well and consistently. And we must believe that we can get into the play-offs. Someone has to go up this season. Why can't it be us?

"Next season, players will be out of contract and it could be an even more competitive league — so why not do it now? Someone asked recently what my five-year plan is. I said the plan is to win the next game. That is all we have to do, and keep doing."