Former United chief signs up to son’s firm

Former Newcastle United chief executive Freddie Fletcher has been signed up as a consultant to build the sports law business of a law firm launched this year by his son Alan.

Alan Fletcher and former Eversheds colleague Ian Gilthorpe want to build one of the UK’s best sports legal services ar their Jesmond-based firm Square One Law.

They have recruited sports specialist Robin Winskell from Durham firm BHP, who has represented top football players and famously Newcastle United in the Save Our Seats legal battle.

But their biggest name signing is Freddie Fletcher who comes in as a consultant after more than 30 years in top sports jobs including commercial director of Glasgow Rangers, running Newcastle Rugby Club, Newcastle Basketball and Newcastle Ice Hockey Club.

He is best known as the Newcastle United chief executive who turned around the club’s fortunes in the 90s, floating it on the stock exchange and bringing back Kevin Keegan as manager.

“I have a lot of contacts in sport all over the country and I want to bring to them the range of skills available at Square One. People in sport have a wide range of business interests and this firm has more than just sports expertise and it can build a lot of business out of its sports clients,” he said.

Alan Fletcher said: “There are not many firms which offer the sports expertise we have here. That coupled with our commercial nouse give our business a very special quality.”