HAVING sold their shares in Sunderland earlier this year, Irish businessmen Charlie Chawke and Louis Fitzgerald are putting together a bid to buy Newcastle United.

Chawke and Fitzgerald, who own a string of pubs and bars in the Dublin area, were founder members of the Drumaville group that bought the Black Cats from Bob Murray three years ago.

Long time associates of current Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn, the duo were key Drumaville members as the Irish investment group oversaw the appointment of Roy Keane and funded the Wearsiders’ promotion to the Premier League.

They severed their ties with Sunderland earlier this year, however, as American businessman Ellis Short increased his stake in the club and bought out the whole of the Drumaville group.

At the time, Quinn hinted that the Irish recession had undermined the financial viability of the Drumaville project, but despite Newcastle owner Mike Ashley continuing to demand £100m for the Magpies, Chawke and Fitzgerald are preparing an offer for Sunderland’s fierce regional rivals.

“We’re putting a syndicate hopefully together to do just that (buy Newcastle),” confirmed Chawke. “We had a great time in Sunderland. We got seven Irish people and one English person together with a syndicate and we succeeded in acquiring Sunderland.

“We had three great years but unfortunately we’re gone now. It’s sold out to an American and we’re looking for options and Newcastle is a very viable option at the moment.

“It’s on sale for about £100m, which is about £500m less than what it was worth a year-and-a-half or two years ago. We have to look at options other than Sunderland, and Newcastle would fit very nicely into our portfolio.”

Chawke and Fitzgerald are yet to table a bid for the Magpies, and with managing director Derek Llambias claiming to have received two £100m offers already, their chances of mounting a successful takeover are remote.

Groups from Malaysia, England and the United States are currently involved in a process of due diligence, while representatives of the Singapore-based Profitable Group also claim to have tabled a formal offer.

Nevertheless, Chawke remains upbeat about his prospects of securing a surprise return to the Premier League, and is looking to follow his Sunderland blueprint of spreading the cost around.

“We’re thinking about possibly the same as we had in Sunderland – about eight people maybe, depending on what money we can get,” he said.

“It’s a great club, it houses 52,000 people. It’s a great city, Newcastle.

“It’s a bit like Dublin – vibrant, full of fun. All the best things in life are there – it makes perfect sense if I could just swing it.”

News of Chalke and Fitzgerald’s interest emerged as Newcastle’s players were returning from Dublin following Saturday’s 3-0 friendly win over a Shamrock Rovers side comprised mainly of reserves and trialists.

Caretaker manager Chris Hughton oversaw the victory at Tallaght Stadium, and while he is happy to hold the fort, the former Tottenham assistant admits he does not know how long the current temporary arrangement will last.

“We don’t know anything, other than that there are groups interested,” said Hughton, who included controversial midfielder Joey Barton in Saturday’s starting line-up. “We’re just getting on with our job, which is training up a group of players so they are ready for the start of the season.

“We don’t know whether that’s for one day or three days, one week or three weeks, but for as long as it lasts we’ll be doing it to the best of our abilities. We hope to hear something. But we’re the same as yesterday and the day before that – just waiting.”

With the likes of Geremi, Sebastien Bassong and Jonas Gutierrez absent because of their summer international exertions, Hughton used Saturday’s run out to cast an eye over some of the youngsters who could feature prominently in next season’s Championship campaign.

Hungarian defender Tamas Kadar, midfielder Wesley Ngo- Baheng and England Under- 19 striker Nile Ranger all featured in the starting line-up, with Ben Tozer, Frank Danquah and Kazenga Lua Lua also appearing after the interval.

Newcastle were largely outplayed during a sluggish first half, but things improved after the break as Hughton changed all 11 players.

Steven Taylor broke the deadlock five minutes after the interval, side-footing home after Shamrock goalkeeper Andy McNeil spilled Lua Lua’s shot.

Shola Ameobi doubled the Magpies’ lead with a deflected 12-yard shot three minutes from the end, and Ranger, who returned to replace Lua Lua, added a third with a crisp finish in stoppage time.

NEWCASTLE (First Half) (4-4-1-1): Harper, Beye, Morris, Coloccini, Kadar, Baheng, Butt, Barton, Duff, Nolan, Ranger.

(Second Half) (4-4-2): Krul, R Taylor, Enrique, S Taylor, Tozer, Guthrie, Lua Lua (Ranger 88), Danquah, Donaldson, Smith.