Newcastle CEO gives Howe lukewarm support after painful losses

Newcastle United chief executive David Hopkinson offered lukewarm support to under-fire manager Eddie Howe on Tuesday after supporters booed the team following a derby defeat to bitter rivals Sunderland.

Howe’s side dropped to 12th in the Premier League after the dramatic 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park in the final match before the international break, as promoted Sunderland achieved a league double over their neighbours.

The defeat came days after Newcastle capitulated in spectacular fashion to Barcelona in the Champions League, suffering a humiliating 7-2 thrashing after a 1-1 draw in the first leg against the Spanish side.

«I don’t have a position on his future. What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt,» Hopkinson told reporters.

«We take it seriously. There is nothing in us that thinks: ‘Well, it’s only three points and we’ll move on’. It has resonated.»

“I recently had a few hours of one-on-one lunch with Eddie and we discussed a lot of things, including that.”

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Howe, who signed a long-term contract in 2022, has seven games to improve Newcastle’s position in the Premier League standings when they play in Europe next season. It is six points behind number six Chelsea.

Howe, appointed in 2021, has guided Newcastle to Champions League qualification twice and ended the club’s 70-year trophy drought when they won the League Cup last season.

«Eddie is our manager. I expect to have a great spell here until the end of the season and we will talk about the future when the time comes,» Hopkinson added. “Right now we are focusing on this season’s competition.”

Newcastle announced record revenues of £335.3 million (USD443 million) for the year ending June 2025.

The club said commercial revenues rose by 44 percent despite not playing in European competition during the reporting period, and made post-tax profits of £34.7 million.

Published on March 31, 2026