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Newcastle United takeover talk ‘drives me nuts!’

Mar 8 2009 by Michael Kelly, Sunday Sun

Graham Wylie, pictured at the launch of his new golf venture, has no plans to buy the Magpies

MULTI millionaire North businessman Graham Wylie has a special fondness for the Magpies.

However, to the dismay of many Toon fans, his affection is not for Newcastle United but for the feathered variety who helped his love of horse racing take flight.

He explained: “Horses are a passion both for my wife and I. We enjoyed going to the races. I had a friend who was always trying to persuade me to buy a race horse.

“One night over a couple of bottles of wine I decided to visit Howard Johnson who trained my friend’s horses and is now my trainer.

“On my way I said I hoped he had a grey. He had two horses and both were grey.

“As we left two Magpies flew across my car and because of that I decided to buy one of them.”

Graham, 49, had a vet examine the horses who said one was a bit lame so he bought the other. Lord Transcend went on to win two races for Graham. Ironically the other, Gratton Lodge won nine.

While in the horse racing stakes it was “two for joy”, it was “one for sorrow” for Magpies football fans because, despite his name constantly being linked with a buy-out of Newcastle United, Graham re-iterated he had no plans to buy the club.

In fact, referring to the takeover rumours, he said: “It drives me nuts.”

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