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The
Keegan Years
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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.
2000 and Beyond... >>
