Newcastle aiming to be ‘top club in the world’ by 2030 | OneFootball

Newcastle United are planning to be in the conversation for “top club in the world” as soon as 2030, and will ignore those who laugh at the suggestion, according to new chief executive David Hopkinson.

Canadian Hopkinson spent a long time working overseeing the commercial activities of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and NHL side the Toronto Maple Leafs, while also having been head of global partnerships at Real Madrid and worked for another basketball outfit, the New York Knicks, but joined Newcastle in September to replace the outgoing Darren Eales.

The 54-year-old certainly has grand ambitions and is bullish about an incredibly ambitious target for the Magpies in the next few years.

“By 2030, I see this club being in the debate about being the top club in the world,” he insisted. “That kind of progress doesn’t take as long as you might think. What it takes is clarity of conviction. We need to be totally aligned about the fact that that's what we want to do.

“Can Newcastle win the Premier League? Yeah, of course. Why not? Our job is to set ourselves up as perennial contenders. We have to have the courage to ignore those that doubt us and even those that laugh at us. Because there will be some.”

In 2021, Newcastle were controversially taken over by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), a move that continues to alarm human rights groups.

open image in gallery

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of Newcastle United, saw them lift the Carabao Cup last season (Getty Images)

Some Magpies supporters fear that with their other sporting interests – from the Saudi Pro League to LIV Golf, boxing and snooker – PIF may lose interest in the club but Hopkinson is adamant that isn’t the case.

“That was one of my questions during my recruitment,” said Hopkinson. “There’s always different types of ownership: some are deeply connected, others are much more hands off and just see it as an investment. The PIF is very much in the former camp.

“I truly believe, in my heart of hearts, that we are their favourite investment. You’re talking about a fund that’s a major, major global player.

“But I think we take up so much of their shared mind and heart, that I feel like we’re a special investment to them. They show me that. I’m talking to the PIF every single day.”

Hopkinson has been instructed by the owners to turn Newcastle into a super club – a goal he believes they are well on their way to achieving.

open image in gallery

David Hopkinson has taken over as chief executive at Newcastle (PA)

And he has pinpointed specific areas to target to ensure that the “rocket ship” gets there.

“It’s eminently doable but it takes clarity, conviction and commitment,” added Hopkinson. “The transformation plan has to be time-bound. Key milestones need to be hit.

“Much of our ability to increase our revenue is self-help. It’s global partnerships and global sponsorships that are in front of us right now.

“I want to be sure that we’re recruiting world-class [off-field] talent. We’re having world-class talent put their hand up for us. I had two conversations yesterday with folks who said: ‘It’s a rocket ship. I want to get on that rocket ship.’”