Former Atlanta United President Darren Eales will resign as CEO of Newcastle United because of what the Premier League team described Friday as a “chronic from of blood cancer.”
Under Eales, Atlanta United won the MLS Cup in 2018 and U.S. Open Cup in Campeones Cup in 2019. He resigned in August 2022 to take over at Newcastle.
Eales was hired in 2014 to shepherd Atlanta United’s franchise into MLS for its inaugural 2017 season. Under his stewardship, the name, crest and colors were decided. He was responsible for hiring the team’s first technical director, Carlos Bocanegra, and the first, second and third managers, Gerardo Martino, Frank de Boer and Gabriel Heinze. A grassroots marketing effort that included the affable Eales appearing at bars and other events around the city before the franchise played its first match, helped to strengthen the team’s footprint within the soccer community.
He was tasked with something similar in turning around the fortunes of Newcastle, one of the more popular but least successful clubs in England.
“Going to Newcastle feels so much like starting at Atlanta United,” Eales told the AJC in 2023. “It’s almost like a 130-year-old start-up because I remember that first day with Atlanta United at the Falcons training ground in my office, where I think I did a photo for Twitter while holding a phone. The phone wasn’t plugged in. It was like me pretending, but I remember sitting there thinking, right, ‘Where do you start?’
“Because we need a stadium, training ground, manager, team name, kit. And it was almost just that you could fill every day with work.
Eales’ and the team’s success are among the reasons Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz Stadium were selected to host Copa America matches this summer, and will host eight World Cup matches in 2026. It is reportedly going to be one of the hosts of next summer’s Club World Cup, too.
Eales helped lead Newcastle into last year’s Champions League.
“Being CEO of Newcastle United is an extraordinary privilege and I am incredibly proud to be part of the club’s exciting journey,” he said in a statement posted on the Magpies’ website. “However, it has become apparent to me that now is the right time to make this decision so that I can prioritize my health and my family.
“In the short term, it will be business as usual in terms of running the club’s day-to-day operations, and I will give my full support to a transitionary period that will enable the board to carefully assess and appoint my successor. I want to extend my sincere thanks to the club’s supporters, ownership, players and staff. I’m proud of what we have collectively achieved and I’m excited to see what’s ahead for everyone as the club builds towards a future of sustained success.”
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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule
Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0
March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1
March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0
March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0
March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0
April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1
April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2
April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1
April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1
May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1
May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup
May 11 D.C. United 3, Atlanta United 2
May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0
May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in U.S. Open Cup
May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0
May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1
June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2
June 15 Atlanta United 2, Houston 2
June 19 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
June 22 Atlanta United 1, St. Louis 1
June 29 Atlanta United 2, Toronto 1
July 3 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
July 6 Real Salt Lake 5, Atlanta United 2
July 9 vs. Indy Eleven 2, Atlanta United 1
July 13 Montreal 1, Atlanta United 0
July 17 Atlanta United 2, NYCFC 2
July 20 Atlanta United 2, Columbus 1
July 26 D.C. United 3 (6), Atlanta United 3 (5) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 4 Santos Laguna 0 (5), Atlanta United 0 (3) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 24 L.A. Galaxy 2, Atlanta United 0
Aug. 31 Atlanta United 1, Charlotte 0
Sept. 14 Nashville 2, Atlanta United 0
Sept. 18 Atlanta United 2, Inter Miami 2
Sept. 21 Atlanta United 2, Red Bulls 2
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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