Newcastle United are going through yet another wave of change behind the scenes, as chief commercial officer Peter Silverstone prepares to leave the club after three years of service.
His departure marks another shift in the club’s leadership structure, coming at a time when many hoped the turbulence at St James’ Park had finally settled.
With Ross Wilson recently appointed as sporting director and David Hopkinson taking over as chief executive officer, there was optimism that Newcastle were entering a period of stability. However, Silverstone’s exit shows that the restructuring behind the scenes is still very much ongoing.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Silverstone has been placed on gardening leave and is expected to leave the club on good terms.
His next move has already been revealed the former Arsenal commercial chief will join Italian giants Juventus, taking up a new challenge in Serie A.
It’s a significant opportunity for him, and his departure leaves a notable gap in Newcastle’s commercial department, one that Hopkinson will now have to address as part of his wider audit of the club’s operations.
Silverstone’s exit may not be the only one. The Daily Mail also revealed that another senior member of staff left the club earlier in October, and more changes could follow as Hopkinson continues to assess every aspect of the organization since his arrival.
This period of transition signals that Newcastle United, despite their ambitions on the pitch, are still refining their off-field structure to match their long-term vision under the Saudi-backed ownership.
While the commercial and executive departments undergo yet another reshuffle, Eddie Howe’s football side remains comparatively stable.
Since taking charge, Howe has transformed Newcastle United from a struggling Premier League club into one capable of challenging at the top. He guided the team to their first domestic trophy since 1955 and secured Champions League qualification twice, achievements that have made him a key figure in the club’s project.
For that reason, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns 80% of the club, continues to place full trust in Howe as the man to lead Newcastle’s footballing ambitions.
Off the pitch, however, it has been a very different story. Since Mike Ashley sold the club to the PIF-led consortium in 2021, there has been constant movement within the boardroom.
One of the most notable departures came in 2024 when Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, who initially owned a 10% stake in the club, sold their shares and stepped away from their roles.
Their exit marked the end of one of the key figures who helped facilitate the historic takeover three years earlier.
David Hopkinson, who now serves as Newcastle’s CEO, is the second person to hold the position since the PIF era began. His predecessor, Darren Eales, stepped down due to health reasons after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer.
Eales’ time at the club saw progress in several areas, but his departure left a leadership gap that Hopkinson has been brought in to fill.
Similarly, the sporting director role has seen constant change. Newcastle initially took months to bring in Dan Ashworth, only for him to leave for Manchester United, a move that caused significant frustration at St James’ Park.
Ironically, Ashworth’s stint at Old Trafford was short-lived, as he was dismissed after just five months in the role. His successor, Paul Mitchell, also failed to make a lasting impression and left around the same time as Eales.
His tenure was marked by tension with Eddie Howe and a lack of major signings that could have strengthened the team.
Now, with the trio of Howe, Hopkinson, and Wilson leading their respective departments, Newcastle fans hope this combination can finally provide long-term stability.
The club’s ambition to compete with the Premier League elite depends heavily on building a strong, united structure behind the scenes. While the departure of Silverstone is another twist in an already eventful few years, sources suggest his exit was expected following Hopkinson’s appointment as CEO.
For all the progress Newcastle have made on the pitch, their backroom operations remain a work in progress.
The leadership continues to evolve, aiming to strike the right balance between financial growth, footballing success, and organizational harmony. Peter Silverstone’s move to Juventus symbolizes both the growing reputation of Newcastle’s executives and the constant cycle of change that defines the modern football landscape.
Fans will be hoping that, under Howe and the current leadership team, this new era at St James’ Park finally brings the consistency the club has been striving for since the takeover.
