Former Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi has reflected on his progression from experiencing racial harassment during his childhood to serving as an executive at the club. Speaking to The Guardian, Ameobi detailed how navigating those early challenges shaped his resilience both on the pitch and in his current administrative capacity.
Overcoming Adversity in Newcastle
Ameobi moved to Newcastle from Nigeria at six years old during the late 1980s. As a youngster travelling between his home near St James’ Park and the club’s former academy base in Benwell, he frequently faced racial hostility.
“There were times where I feared for my life as a kid, being harassed and chased by different groups of people,” Ameobi told The Guardian. “There were situations where I had to sprint to get away from groups of lads who didn’t like me because of what I looked like.”
He explained that having to constantly watch his surroundings to participate in football fostered significant mental fortitude. According to Ameobi, learning to value himself regardless of external hostility served as a vital foundation throughout his athletic career and personal life.
Ameobi went on to score 79 goals across 397 appearances for Newcastle, including seven goals against local rivals Sunderland.
Transition into an Executive Position
In July, Ameobi was appointed Newcastle’s head of corporate affairs following a seven-year stint as the club’s loan coordinator. In his earlier role, which started under former owner Mike Ashley, Ameobi developed the department from scratch, gaining direct experience in team building and business planning.
His new appointment followed a 100-day internal review by chief executive David Hopkinson. While Hopkinson initially asked him to evaluate the proposal over a weekend, Ameobi spent six months in discussions to clearly outline the practical scope of the position before formally accepting.
Ameobi described his current responsibilities as driving strategic external engagement to ensure the club positively impacts the local area. He noted the club’s ambition to integrate thoroughly across civic activities, sporting events, and community initiatives.
Pathways and Mentorship
Ameobi has been a member of the Premier League’s Black participants advisory group since its inception in 2019. The initiative supported the rollout of the No Room for Racism action plan in 2021 as well as the 2022 pilot of the player-to-executive pathways scheme, in which Ameobi was one of seven participants.
The program provided Ameobi with an overview of executive disciplines, covering finance, brand strategy, and organisational structure. Ameobi noted that operating under high pressure as a professional athlete for two decades helped him manage executive challenges when circumstances do not go according to plan.
His forward planning began in November 2006, when significant hip surgery threatened to end his playing days. During that period of uncertainty, Ameobi worked alongside a psychologist and turned to his family for guidance. He credited his father, a church leader, with heavily influencing his view of leadership, alongside former managers Sir Bobby Robson and Alan Pardew.
Ameobi, who earned a master’s degree in strategic leadership, aims to act as a visible example for aspiring leaders from underrepresented backgrounds. He emphasized that having witnessed former players like Andy Cole and Faustino Asprilla inspired him as a youth, reinforcing his desire to assist the next generation in realizing their potential.
Source: Football | The Guardian
