STAFF at Newcastle United are bearing the brunt of the team’s relegation from the Premier League after it emerged that up to 150 jobs are being axed by the club.

The cuts signal a drastic 50 per cent reduction in commercial and administrative staff, while further redundancies on the playing and coaching side have not been ruled out.

And there is renewed speculation that Mike Ashley is preparing to sell the club. It has emerged that Keith Harris, chairman of investment bank Seymour Pierce, was at the club’s Benton training ground on Tuesday despite Harris denying he’d been on Tyneside this week.

Harris is the man commissioned by Ashley to sell Newcastle last September and his presence in Newcastle was thought to be related to a possible takeover at the club.

With Alan Shearer expected to be confirmed as manager early next week, the Magpies are undertaking a major costcutting exercise in preparation for Championship football next season.

Prior to the final game of the season, staff at St James’ Park were put on notice their jobs were under threat and yesterday many were informed they are being made redundant. Staff were said to be in a state of shock after being told the news.

A source said: “We suspected something like this would happen but not on this scale, people are shell-shocked.”

Operations director David Williamson, who joined the club in April 2008, is thought to be the highest profile casualty of the club’s restructure.

Newcastle’s last published accounts, in June 2008, stated they employed 118 playing and coaching staff, 168 commercial staff and 139 people in an administrative capacity.

The 150 job losses are thought to be coming solely from the commercial and administration divisions.

The move eclipses the staff reduction Sunderland undertook following their relegation in 2006, when 87 jobs were lost.

Middlesbrough’s relegation this season is also expected to see them shed a significant number of staff as they gear up for life in the second tier.

Shearer is reported to have requested a guaranteed transfer pot of around £15m to fund Newcastle’s promotion bid and has been in discussion with the club’s owner Mike Ashley and Derek Lambias, the managing director.

Finance director John Irving has also been working through the finer details of the accounts as the club adjusts to the drop in income arising from loss of top-flight status. An announcement on Shearer’s position is expected over the next couple of days, with sources close to the Magpies’ former number nine suggesting he’s ready to take charge of team affairs on a permanent basis.

Jose Enrique, Newcastle’s left-back, is hoping Shearer will soon be handed a longterm deal.

“If they leave Alan Shearer in place things will change for the better,” said the 23-yearold Spaniard.

“He is a coach who can do some great things for Newcastle if they give him time. If they let him work on a longterm project he can be very good for this team.”

Enrique insisted he is settled at Newcastle and was not agitating for a move to a Premier League club, but admitted he may be forced to consider offers this summer.

“I like the city and I am very happy in England, but that doesn’t rule out that I will study any offer that could arrive,”

he said.

“Now, I see myself playing next season at Newcastle. At the moment, I’m focused on my holidays. It was a bad time for me and I need to relax. It’s been the longest year of my life.”

Joey Barton will be allowed to leave the club should a buyer be prepared to take on the midfielder’s £64,000 a week wages. Despite his unsavoury reputation, Barton is attracting interest, with Bolton, Blackburn and newly-promoted Birmingham City among the sides linked with a move for the 26-year-old.

Shearer has made it clear to Barton that, if he takes charge, the former Manchester City player has played his last game in a black and white shirt.