Outspoken talkSPORT pundit hits out at Newcastle fanbase with Sunderland 'real decline' comparison

The Magpies are currently on a run of 10 matches without a win in all competitions going into this evening’s clash with Leeds United, and manager Steve Bruce has come in for heavy criticism from many quarters of the club’s fanbase for his conservative tactical approach.

But while Jordan does believe that it is time for the 60-year-old to leave his role in the north east, he has also argued that the Toon Army have had it much better than a number of other high profile clubs in recent years, including bitter local rivals Sunderland.

And speaking on talkSPORT, the former Crystal Palace chairman also made a claim about what he believes inspired Mike Ashley to buy the club in 2007.

He said: “The problem, for me, is done. I think Brucey is done there. I think it’s just a matter of time.

"I don’t know whether Mike Ashley is doubling down because he won’t be told what to do by Newcastle fans, but I think that Brucey’s time at Newcastle has run it’s course – not because I want him to, and not because I’m in the camp of wanting it to be the other way.

“I couldn’t care less about Newcastle, full stop. I think they get precisely what they deserve at times.

"You want to see decline? Newcastle fans want to see decline? Go look at Sunderland. Go and look at what their owner’s done.

"Mike Ashley’s done a lot of things wrong at that football club, and I think he was stupid to have bought it in the first place. I told him so at the time.

"I think the idea of buying it at the time was a bet between him and Paul Kemsley, the ex-Vice Chairman at Spurs, that he wouldn’t do it.

"Mike was in a different mindset at the time. He didn’t realise what the landscape of football can be like.

"You want to see decline, go look at Sheffield Wednesday, go look at Nottingham Forest, go look at Leeds – out the Premier League for 17 years. Go look at Sunderland. Ellis Short, there was an owner who doesn’t give a monkey’s about the football club and doesn’t bankroll it and doesn’t do the thing right. That’s real decline.

"I don’t defend Mike Ashley because I’m a particular Mike Ashley acolyte, but there are a lot of other football clubs that would look at Newcastle United, that are bigger than Newcastle United, that have had 17 years in the wilderness like Leeds United, and go, ‘You know what? There’s a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t be complaining’.”

Jordan also hit out at the decision to prevent members of the written media from asking Bruce questions during his most recent press conference.

He added: “That environment is toxic. I think it’s stupid to ban the written media.

"I think it opens up another challenge and another opportunity for people to take a swipe at you.”