Former Newcastle United owner Sir John Hall has spoken for the first time about the club's relegation disaster.
The 76-year-old local property developer built Newcastle into a footballing power in the mid-90s as they challenged Manchester United for the Premier League crown during Kevin Keegan's first spell at the club.
But the dream faded and Hall sold his 41 percent stake to Mike Ashley for £55 million in 2007.
"The table doesn't lie," he told The Sun.
"It's been desperately poor all season - and the worst thing was they didn't even appear to try on Sunday.
"I'm not going to pull any punches. This current side is rubbish! Useless!
"There has to be a clean sweep and the club has to be rebuilt from top to bottom.
"But I don't go along with the feeling Newcastle could become another Leeds or Nottingham Forest and end up in League One. We're too strong for that.
"The lesson here is obvious: You can't take on yesterday's men and hope to survive. That's for a club that has no ambition."
And Hall believes the only way forward is to maintain faith in Alan Shearer, despite the stand-in boss winning just one game in eight.
He added: "Shearer must stay. Sure, he doesn't have the experience but then neither did Keegan the first time round. But, like Keegan, the fans have faith in him.
"He is a dedicated professional, the club is in his blood and he is the rallying point for all the supporters."
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The 76-year-old local property developer built Newcastle into a footballing power in the mid-90s as they challenged Manchester United for the Premier League crown during Kevin Keegan's first spell at the club.
But the dream faded and Hall sold his 41 percent stake to Mike Ashley for £55 million in 2007.
"The table doesn't lie," he told The Sun.
"It's been desperately poor all season - and the worst thing was they didn't even appear to try on Sunday.
"I'm not going to pull any punches. This current side is rubbish! Useless!
"There has to be a clean sweep and the club has to be rebuilt from top to bottom.
"But I don't go along with the feeling Newcastle could become another Leeds or Nottingham Forest and end up in League One. We're too strong for that.
"The lesson here is obvious: You can't take on yesterday's men and hope to survive. That's for a club that has no ambition."
And Hall believes the only way forward is to maintain faith in Alan Shearer, despite the stand-in boss winning just one game in eight.
He added: "Shearer must stay. Sure, he doesn't have the experience but then neither did Keegan the first time round. But, like Keegan, the fans have faith in him.
"He is a dedicated professional, the club is in his blood and he is the rallying point for all the supporters."
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