Billionaire businessman Mike Ashley has launched a Newcastle United takeover bid by purchasing a 41.6 per cent holding in the club.

St James' Holdings Limited has acquired 55.3 million shares at 100p each from Wynyard (Guernsey) Limited, Cameron Hall Developments Limited and Cameron Hall Developments Limited Executive Pension Scheme, the holdings of Sir John Hall and his family.

Stock Exchange rules mean that the company now has to make a cash offer for the remaining shares, around 29.8 per cent of which belong to chairman Freddy Shepherd.

Sir John Hall will remain as the club's life president, although the man who succeeded him as chairman, Shepherd, now faces a major decision over his continuing involvement.

Ashley said: "I am delighted to have this opportunity to invest in Newcastle United. The club has a fantastic infrastructure, for which Sir John and the board must take much of the credit.

"I am pleased that Sir John has agreed to remain as life president of the club.  Newcastle United has a wonderful heritage and the passion of its fans is legendary.

"I am sure that, like me, they are already excited about the prospects for next season under the new manager's stewardship."

Sir John, who formed the Magpie Group to take over the club in the early 1990s, stood down as chairman in 1997.

Interest in Newcastle has been rife for some time and Shepherd has fought off two approaches in recent months, one by the Jersey-based Belgravia Group and the other by the Polygon-backed St James' Park Group.

He has insisted in the past he would not stand in the way of a "Geordie Abramovich" who wanted to pour millions into the club.

Today's news will come as a boost to Shepherd's critics, who have been calling for change for some time, but it remains to be seen just how the latest development will affect his position.  PA