DAVE WHELAN believes Mike Ashley deserves the criticism he has been getting from disgruntled Newcastle supporters.

And the Wigan owner who, like Ashley, made his fortune in sports retailing, believes the Sports Direct owner should concentrate on what he is good at – selling football shirts.

The pair have clashed in the past as their respective retailing empires fought for supremacy in the sportswear market but Whelan’s latest comments are particularly scathing.

‘‘I know Mike Ashley quite well as I was running JJB when he was with Sports Direct, and he is a bit unusual,”

said Whelan, who sold his stake in the JJB sports business in 2007.

“He is a very good retailer, but at managing a football club, no.”

Whelan was born and bred in Wigan and believes Ashley’s southern background meant his association with Newcastle was doomed from the outset.

‘‘With him being a Tottenham supporter it was always going to be difficult, going up to Newcastle, a club that is a different kettle of fish to most in the land,”

he said.

“The fans up there eat, breathe and live for one thing, and that is Newcastle United.

‘‘Unless you put your whole heart into it, are a 100 per cent Geordie and are backing them, then they will give you some stick.

‘‘He has got it, and he deserves it.”

Whelan has not been surprised to see current Wigan boss Steve Bruce linked with the St James’ Park vacancy, but claims the former Manchester United centre-back would not consider taking the role amid the current turmoil.

‘‘One day he (Bruce) will get a big-four job – I realise that, and I think the whole country realises it.

‘‘But if Newcastle came, I think you would get Steve telling them what to do very quickly. I know Newcastle is where he comes from and I know he did want to manage Newcastle at one time. But I’m sure it wouldn’t excite him to go up there at present.

‘‘If he did, he would be made welcome because he is a great manager, but I think when we lose him he will go to one of the big four.’’ Reports from Dubai, meanwhile, claim Ashley snubbed a crucial meeting with Arab investors on Tuesday night as potential buyers were not willing to meet his £481m asking price.

The Newcastle owner had been due to hold talks with Dubai officials over the sale of the club after handing over of sale documents earlier in the day.

An initial offer of around £200m was mooted, and a meeting was planned to take place at the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel at 11pm to hold further discussions.

An hour before the meeting was due to take place, Ashley arrived at the Bahri Bar, just five minutes walk from the meeting venue.

But instead of proceeding to the meeting, Ashley is reported to have ordered cocktails and was joined at the bar by Newcastle United managing director Derek Llambias and director of football Dennis Wise. Ashley was overheard to tell Llambias that he wouldn’t go to the Ramadan Tent, saying the earlier offer was an insult.

The group are said to have left the bar shortly after 1am on Wednesday morning.

Ashley and his party were due to fly back to the UK as the chances of identifying a Dubai buyer appear increasingly unlikely.

■ Newcastle midfielder Danny Guthrie will receive no further punishment for breaking the leg of Hull striker Craig Fagan, the Football Association has confirmed.

Guthrie will now serve a three-match ban for receiving a red card in Saturday’s Premier League match at St James’ Park. Fagan’s left leg was fractured after Guthrie’s rash challenge in stoppage time.

An FA spokesman said: “Every sending-off carries an automatic sanction under the current regulations.

The FA doesn’t have the power to extend automatic suspensions.

“The only circumstances in which we could take further action would be to issue an additional charge.

“This occurs only in exceptional cases.”

Such a case came in 2006, when a challenge from Manchester City’s Ben Thatcher put Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes in hospital.

Thatcher received an eightmatch FA ban with a further 15 games suspended for two years.