Newcastle United Football Club small shareholders were left confused and outraged by a trip to the capital yesterday to demand answers as to why two directors granted themselves phenomenal pay rises.

Douglas Hall, non-executive director and major shareholder, and chairman Freddie Shepherd registered remarkable salary increases in the club's report of accounts six weeks ago.

Hall got £524,000 in pay and bonuses - a 376 per cent rise on the previous year.

Shepherd's financial accruement was £591,000 - up 154 per cent on the same period.

One shareholder said: "No one expects people to do anything for nothing but the payments seem to be excessive.

"The work that seems to have been done, particularly by Douglas, seems to be vague in the least."

Shareholders were told Hall ran Newcastle International, based in Gibralter and was involved in finding new venture opportunities in China.

Efforts were also made to buy into Spanish side Real Linense, based near Gibralter.

Minor shareholders had to travel to London for a 9.30am annual meeting in order to quiz the pair over the increases.

Mick Martin, contributor the NUFC fanzine True Faith, said: "It is very, very worrying. Newcastle has the largest percentage of shareholders amongst its season ticket holders so to make them travel to London first thing on a Monday morning seems strange.

"It just makes you think, 'What have they got to hide?'."

* The Newcastle payments were at odds with their more frugal counterparts at Sunderland whose collective board of directors received less than £500,000.