Certain media have been unrelenting in their attacks on Newcastle United and especially the Newcastle fans ever since it became apparent that the Saudi Arabia PIF was attempting to lead a takeover of Newcastle United from Mike Ashley.
Oliver Holt is one of the most productive.
There was a classic at the World Cup in Qatar among the numerous embarrassing occasions in his never-ending attacks on Newcastle United supporters.
Oliver Holt had declined to abstain from the World Cup, choosing instead to travel there as a show of support and to lend credibility to the regime in Qatar by putting his morality aside and paying to stay in opulent hotels and eat at fine dining establishments.He then mustered the courage to say this following Argentina 1 vs. Saudi Arabia 2.
This guy is a real embarrassment. Oliver Holt, the Chief Sports Writer at The Mail on Sunday, made a feeble attempt to provoke Newcastle United fans. It’s quite ironic that his employers invest significant resources in sending him to Qatar, and this is the best he can come up with?
What’s even funnier is that Holt seems to view himself as some kind of moral champion when, in reality, he’s a huge hypocrite.
If journalists are so concerned about the sources of money in the Premier League, they should think twice about working for any employer associated with a country or regime they disapprove of. Maybe Holt should take his own advice.
Oddly enough, Oliver Holt managed to turn an article about Bill Kenwright’s passing and the abuse he faced from fellow Everton supporters into an attack on Newcastle United.
Oliver Holt writing for The Mail – 31 October 2023:
Bill Kenwright was deeply saddened that he couldn’t achieve the level of success Everton fans and he aspired to. He doesn’t get enough credit for keeping the club in the Premier League when other big clubs faced relegation. He also preserved Everton’s identity, which is something worth appreciating in an era where many clubs have sold their soul to wealthy owners, as seen with Newcastle United’s takeover by a nation-state.
The way Bill Kenwright was treated by some Everton fans was unfortunate, but this sort of behavior is not unique to Everton supporters. It’s a reflection of the current state of football. Fans have the right to protest, but it seems they were looking for a scapegoat, and they wrongly targeted Kenwright.
Oliver Holt’s attempt to excuse Everton fans’ treatment of Kenwright while attacking Newcastle United is quite remarkable. But it’s not surprising, given his history of making such embarrassing attacks on the Newcastle United fanbase.
Neil Farrington, on Twitter, highlights the hypocrisy in Holt’s stance. He questions how Holt can work for an organization with strong ties to Saudi Arabia, which generates substantial revenue, while criticizing Newcastle United’s association with the same state. He emphasizes that genuine football fans don’t choose their club like they choose a supermarket; it’s a lifelong commitment.
Holt’s employer, DMGT, has extensive business interests with Saudi Arabia, organizing various events and generating substantial income. If Holt truly stands by his principles, he should either refuse to accept money from such an employer or, at the very least, acknowledge his own association with the state when writing about Newcastle United and its fans.
Farrington also highlights a previous statement by Holt in 2019 where he justified individuals like Anthony Joshua accepting money from the Saudis, illustrating the contradictions in Holt’s stance
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