FORMER Newcastle United chairman Sir John Hall believes new major shareholder Mike Ashley can take the club "to the next dimension".

Speaking publicly for the first time since the sale of the family's 41.6 per cent stake in the club to the Buckinghamshire billionaire, Sir John said he felt his family has done all it can for the club.

The MetroCentre developer, who is admired among Magpies fans for overseeing the expansion of St James' Park and increasing the club's standing during the 'Kevin Keegan era' of the 1990s, said he has "mixed feelings" over his decision to sell his stake in the club.

"It's been a roller-coaster ride at times.

"I think I've done the best thing, but you can never tell.

"I'm 74 now and for some time now I have felt the family should take a different direction."

Speaking of the decision to sell to Mr Ashley, Sir John said: "We have had quite a few people come to us, but they weren't really the right ones for the club, and I think Mike Ashley and his people are the right ones for the club."

Sir John, who remains club life president, said he is happy to offer advice to Mr Ashley's "people", should he manage to take overall control of the club.

"I'm staying on as life president and if they get control I have agreed to stay on and help in whatever way I can."

Speaking on his years at the club, Sir John said the "plaudits" should be shared around, as it was very much a "team effort", referring to the role of his son Douglas and current chairman Freddie Shepherd.

"We have done a hell of a lot. We have changed it completely.

"It's a Premiership club and one of the top five, and I don't think Douglas and Freddie have had the plaudits for where it is now."

Sir John said when the first approach came from Mr Ashley, several months ago, his reaction was like those of many fans this week: "I said 'Who's Mike Ashley?' "He's very much like me, a self-made man.

"He's a nice chap and knows sport. He's 42 now and he has a global business.

"They have to go for the rest of the shares and if they get them I'm sure they'll invest and in my view he'll take us to a new dimension.

"We had probably run out of ideas a bit.

"But, I'm sure he'll take us to where we want to be.

"He probably does his business in a quiet way and, yet, look where he is today," said Sir John, referring to the sports retail entrepreneur's billion pound-a-year business turnover.

""Even if he's quiet I'm sure he knows the passion of the fans and knows how much it means for Tyneside.

"I have talked to him enough to be assured they have the passion for the club as much as we have."

Speaking about Mr Ashley's attempts to buy enough of a stake to wrestle control of the club from Mr Shepherd, Sir John said: "There are rules you have to go through and it's up to the rest of the shareholders what they want to do.

"Somebody like him (Mr Ashley) would want control to put in the right investment."

Sir John said the whole world of football moved on to a new level in England once Roman Abramovich took over at Chelsea.

"When he came into the game it changed soccer forever and it's become global."

Sir John said "in hindsight" the club, possibly, should have remained private, but it needed to float to become a plc, in 1996, to raise funds for the £50-million-plus development of St James' Park.

Speaking of his years at the club, Sir John said: "It's a wonderful club and I feel I've done my bit.

"It's time to move on, I'm 74, but it's a younger person's game now."

Sir John was speaking in an exclusive interview broadcast today with Newcastle United match commentator Mick Lowes, on BBC Radio Newcastle.