Smith didn't
last last long either, and left in 1991 for Portsmouth, saying
that the club was "unmanagable".
By this time, the club was going through another boardroom struggle.
Sir John Hall's 'Magpie Group' was bidding for a controlling
stake in the club, perhaps to counteract this, the board appointed
former Argentine World Cup ace Ossie Ardiles as manager.
Ossie always played football the right way, but unfortunately
he was stuck with a young team, (ironically, the good, more
experienced, young players of today) and there was little money
to spend on more experienced players. The 'Magpie Group' took
over the club and Sir John became Chairman. Things on the field
got steadily worse until in February 1992, Newcastle were looking
at relegation to the (old) Third Division and certain bankruptcy.
The clubs' financial backers forced Sir John to make a drastic
change. Exit Ardilles and re-enter Kevin Keegan, to the only
management job he said he would take in football. With 16 games
to save a 100 year old North East institution, and having no
managerial experience, Keegan brought in free transfer players
Brian Kilcline and Kevin Sheedy to add some experience. Newcastle
won their first game 3-0 in front of 30,000 people, and despite
some defeats, survived by beating Leicester City 2-1 away in
the last game.
After initial teething problems with the new Keegan/Sir John
partnership, Sir John gained 90% control of the club and released
proper funding for new players. Keegan bought wisely, bringing
in players such as Robert Lee, Paul Bracewell and Barry Venison.
The revitalised team, watched at home by near capacity crowds,
took the 1992-93 (new) First Division Championship and returned
to the top flight, this time to the FA Carling Premiership.
During their first season, they won the hearts of many with
their attractive passing, attacking game and finished 3rd, their
highest finishing place since 1927!
In season 95/96, Kevin Keegan bought experience. Les
Ferdinand from Queens Park Rangers, Warren Barton from Wimbledon,
David Ginola from the French Club, Paris St. Germain and Shaka
Hislop from 1st Division club Reading. Keegan also bought Faustino
Asprilla from Italian Club Parma, only to return there after
a few sucessful seasons. However, Newcastle United eventually
lost the first placing to rival Manchester United in the last
few games and finished second in the Premier League.
After the season ended he returned. After an impressive Euro
96 for England, Alan Shearer came back to his native hometown
Newcastle, from Blackburn Rovers for a record signing of 15.4
million pounds by Kevin Keegan. He was the most expensive player
ever signed by a club and still is to this day.
Astonishment arrived in toon on Janruary 9th 1997, when Kevin
Keegan resigned as Newcastle manager. The replacement for Kevin
Keegan came 6 days later, with Kenny Dalglish being appointed.
He brought Newcastle United Football Club into second place
in season 96/97 and thus bringing the club to the Champions
League next season. However, he could never match the performance
of his predecessor and Newcastle United finished a disappointing
14th that season, with Ruud Gullit taking over from Dalglish.
Things went from bad to worse next season when Newcastle were
lying bottom of the premiership after six games without a single
win. Gullit eventually resigned, to the delighted and relieved
Newcastle fans, and was followed by the fans' choice, a now
Sir Bobby Robson, who recieved his Knighthood in 2002.
His managerial career at Tyneside got off to a spectacular start
when Newcastle obliterated Sheffield Wednesday 8-0. Since then,
there has been no looking back. Despite getting off to an awful
start, Newcastle finished an admirable 11th in the league that
season with 52 points.
