More like we found out cockneys are immoral backward scum compared to local lads
You can't drive out an owner. Shepherd never wanted to leave. John Hall chose to sell his shares to Mike Ashley because Ashley was a billionaire, nothing to do with fans wanting the board sacked for trashing the team. Hall selling his shares meant Shepherd's shares were automatically triggered.
Shepherd, along with Hall, Keegan, Shearer and Robson made Newcastle a thousand times better than the club it was and significantly above the level of ordinary clubs it would have otherwise been naturally. They took it to another level.