Collette Roche
Collette Roche (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Newcastle United are edging ahead with their next boardroom appointment as the club look to name a successor for Darren Eales.
Eales, who will depart St James' Park at the end of the season for health reasons, will welcome on board a new CEO to continue the excellent work at executive level. Manchester United's CEO Collette Roche is understood to be high on the wish-list at United and is well known to key figures such as commercial guru Peter Silverstone.
Roche was appointed as Man United's first ever female chief operating officer when she joined the Old Trafford club in 2018. She joined Man United from Manchester Airport after a stint as managing director.
Eales said last month: "I’m focused on that transition (to a new CEO) which is why I’m working my notice and made the statement I did.
"The ownership are doing the search for the new CEO and my focus is on business as usual and giving as smooth a transition as is possible for the new person coming in."
Newcastle's new CEO will be taking over the project of two huge projects with the Magpies and will have a key role in dealing with the new stadium decision-making process and what happens next with the training ground. United's CCO Brad Miller has already made it clear that two choices are currently being considered with the prospect of a 70,000 stadium in Leazes Park being whispered about down the corridors of power at St James' Park.
Appointing former Lancaster University student Roche would also be a reverse of Sir Jim Radcliffe's poaching operation to land Dan Ashworth. Although Ashworth lasted just a few months on the job before being sacked back in December.