Former Newcastle United managing director Lee Charnley was an interested spectator in the stands for the Magpies' 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup last night. The ex-Toon board member is understood to have been watching on as a fan on the night but he has moved on professionally since his long stint at St James' Park. Charnley is now working as one of the leading figures of top football agency Wasserman, which represents Eddie Howe and a clutch of Newcastle stars.
Charnley immediately left Newcastle after the takeover was pushed through with his involvement in signing off the paperwork one of his last acts as CEO before moving on to pastures new. He is understood to have vowed to remain a supporter despite overseeing some difficult times on Tyneside. He is Wasserman's head of European operations but was spotted at St James' Park last night.
Meanwhile, the current CEO Darren Eales, who is stepping down for health reasons, is assisting in the search for his successor. Speaking about his role with Wasserman, Charnley said earlier this year: “Over the past 20 years, the IFM team has built the number one football player agency in Switzerland. It’s a business founded on honesty, trust and respect – values which align entirely with our own approach to talent representation.
" Eales announced the sad news of his impending departure last week with head coach Eddie Howe commenting: "All of us associated with Newcastle really feel for Darren and throw a protective arm .