The Magpies' latest appointment and eagerly antcipated stadium news could coincide with each other
Lee Ryder
Newcastle United's St James' Park(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Newcastle United's St James' Park
Newcastle United's St James' Park(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)
To coin a phrase from Newcastle United's on-field operation, new CEO David Hopkinson may have just "timed his run" perfectly at St James' Park.
His appointment was hailed by Yasir Al-Rumayyan today, but with the tensions within the fanbase now palpable about what happens next in terms of a "stay or go" situation on Barrack Road, Hopkinson's expertise could be vital.
Of course, Newcastle's COO Brad Miller has already unturned almost every stone to find solutions when it comes to delivering the Magpies a bigger home.
But Hopkinson, described as "fun and fearless" by industry insiders across the Pond, could bring a new dimension to the stadium project that Newcastle chiefs have been desperate to talk publicly about for months now.
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The new supremo has experience in venue management, naming rights and maximising sponsorship revenue from his stint as chief at North American sporting giants such as New York Knicks, New York Rangers and earlier in his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in Canada.
Then there's Real Madrid of course, where he spent two years at the Santiago Bernabéu.
In an interview with Forbes Magazine, Hopkinson provided a quote that could sit well within Newcastle's current timeline with news on St James' Park hopefully around the corner.
He said: "My team and I don’t make anything physical like processors or construction equipment; what we’re in the business of making are memories and things that matter to people.
"For a fan, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium can be a lot like Mecca.
"You will see people crying in the stands because they’re achieving one of the greatest moments of their lives by witnessing a live match. We’re making those memories and those connections.
“It’s important to show that we’ve been thinking about their business, their customer, and where they’re going in relation to our customer, our fan, and our own direction so that I can present an intelligent way for us to partner together."
Getting St James' Park right has to be high on Hopkinson's wish-list but his first words will be eagerly anticipated by the Geordie public on the direction Newcastle go now.
After all the star player on the pitch has just been sold and improvements across the club, with a sporting director still needed, are there to be made.
Hopkinson feels like a much-needed appointment and one that United have taken their time making after months of speculation.
In that same interview with Forbes, Hopkinson said of his time in Madrid: "It’s not just the players that are among the best in the world, every single employee at Real Madrid works toward excellence with humility."
Newcastle fans have only ever asked for a team that "tries" on the pitch, but now they may have landed a club that wins off it.