Simon Zekaria

RT @DrFrancesRyan: Two MPs murdered in five years. Public servants who just went to work at their constituency surgeries and never came hom…

Confirmation from the @CATribunal that @NUFC suit against the @premierleague has been withdrawn closes a unique window presented by the case to put football governance under the legal microscope. Takeover seen as a victory by both, but questions over bigger-picture reform remain.

RT @PIF_en: An investment group led by #PIF has completed the acquisition of 100% of Newcastle United Football Club @NUFC. https://t.co/Ehe…

RT @PLComms: Following the completion of the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ Test, the club has been sold to the consortium with im…

RT @PLComms: The Premier League, Newcastle United Football Club and St James Holdings Limited have today settled the dispute over the takeo…

This is a big development. At the heart of the frozen takeover is a barely-disguised background piracy row between beIN and Saudi Arabia. BeIN has seen Saudi’s behaviour as commercial theft. But unless this unlocks the deal the legal actions will continue https://t.co/Xjnj1vUfrH

NEW: @NUFC, @premierleague story on @mlexclusive https://t.co/TxZndNJmt8

I have learnt that SJHL's competition claim alleges that beIN Sports pressurised the PL to block the sale of @NUFC while negotiating a three-year broadcasting rights deal to 2025. Dropping piece shortly.

This is important because I understand that both sides agree that @NUFC as a club is bound by rules of the @FA, which itself governs, and authorises, @premierleague rules

My take on yesterday. Key to the outcome will be the court's assessment of Mike Ashley's ownership structure for @NUFC. Ashley asserts SJHL, the competition suit claimant, has no role in exercising control over the club and therefore cannot be bound by PL, FA arbitration rules

Judge wraps up hearing and says there will be a ruling to come. No timeframe given.

PL QC says it is a "farce" that SJHL and NUFC, represented in court separately, argue they are not one and the same thing for the purposes of the case

SJHL QC says the claim should be allowed to advance, with an adminsrtative hearing in the new year to "take stock" of the status of the case through arbitration. He said there must be "progress".

Judge says hearing going into private again

SJHL QC says the Premier League should "come to its senses and reverse the decision", but there is no guarantee PIF will come back to the table to buy NUFC on the same terms. NUFC is being "kept out of its money"

The wider picture is that all this is very new territory for the Premier League (and the FA): a dissection of their football governance rules in open court