Sportswear entrepreneur Mike Ashley has admitted that he may be forced to hang on to Newcastle United beyond the end of the season - and may even stay on permanently.
The club's owner said he had been unable to find a buyer for the Toon despite drastically reducing his asking price.
Ashley had been hoping to find a buyer before the end of the year but all expressions of interest have come to nothing.
The founder and owner of Sports Direct paid £134m for the club last year. Since then he has ploughed another £110m into the club to reduce debt.
Yesterday he told the Financial Times that he may keep it.
"You know, even if I have to watch it on Sky Sports at home and send the kids out, have the doors locked and have the telly on full blast I still love it jumping up and down at the telly screaming."
Asked about the sale, he said: "Basically, I'd take £250m."
But he signalled he was in no hurry to leave the club.
"I love Joe Kinnear," he said.
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