Arabic version: أميـوبي يتولى منصبًا تنفيذيًا في نيوكاسل

According to The Guardian, Shola Ameobi has become Newcastle United’s head of corporate affairs after previously spending seven years as the club’s loans coordinator. The former striker said the role focuses on strategic external engagement and on ensuring the club contributes to the region.

Ameobi moved from Nigeria to Newcastle at the age of six and described experiencing racism while growing up in the city in the late 1980s and 1990s. He said he was at times harassed and chased by groups because of his appearance, experiences he believes built resilience that helped him in sport and in life.

The academy graduate went on to score 79 goals in 397 appearances for Newcastle, including seven against Sunderland. He began considering life beyond playing after career-saving hip surgery in November 2006, when uncertainty over his return prompted him to ask how he could be useful to his teammates and the club.

His move into an executive position followed a 100-day review conducted by chief executive David Hopkinson. Ameobi said he had built Newcastle’s loans department from nothing during the Mike Ashley era, experience that helped him learn to business-plan and build a team.

Ameobi has also served on the Premier League’s Black participants advisory group since its formation in 2019. He was among the initial seven-person cohort in the player to executive pathways scheme, launched in 2022 to support people from underrepresented groups into executive roles. He said he wants his journey from youth player to executive to show that opportunity is possible for anyone.