Picture the scene. It’s January 9, 2008 - the start of a new year. The Newcastle United board certainly think so as they ask Sam Allardyce to walk the plank after only nine months and 24 matches in the hottest hot-seat in football.

New owner and "man of the people" Mike Ashley wants to appease the Toon masses clamouring for a world-class manager. Several names are bandied about - Jose Mourinho, Didier Deschamps and Marcello Lippi are all linked to the job - but Ashley stays tight-lipped on who will take the helm of his sinking ship.

Newcastle are the stereotypical sleeping giant. They have one of the biggest and best stadiums in the country in the form of St James' Park. They also have some of the most loyal fans in the world in the Toon Army.

'The Newcastle fans demand success for their unquestionable loyalty and Mike Ashley knows it. Because of this, he breaks a so-called fundamental rule of football: Never go back.'


Yet they've not had a team to really shout about since the days of Kevin Keegan in the mid-90s. The fans demand success for their unquestionable loyalty and Ashley knows it. Because of this, he breaks a so-called fundamental rule of football: Never go back.

Fast-forward to January 16: King Kev returns as Newcastle United manager. Cue mass hysteria from the Toon Army and huge media coverage. Tyne newspapers read: "The King Has Returned", "All Hail King Kev" and "The Saviour Is Back". Fans begin to talk of Europe, of challenging for honours next season. "Keegan will lift the players. We'll break the big four in no time," is the call from many a Toon fan.

Now fast-forward to the present. Two months into the job and still no win for Keegan. For any other manager in the game this would be a disaster, but as it's Keegan the Newcastle fans won't call for his head - yet. However, the team still aren't playing well and the optimism that accompanied his arrival has well and truly left.

The media are now bored. They know it was a mistake to go for someone who, by his own admission, had seen around five football matches since he left Manchester City in 2002. Once again, Newcastle fans allowed themselves to get carried away with expectation, blind to the team's failings by a managerial appointment.

That team is now extremely low on confidence. Hardly a week goes by when we don't see one of the squad saying they back Keegan or that Michael Owen's goals will save them. They need to sit up and realise where all the talk and hype has taken them - to within four points of the relegation zone. It's getting so desperate that they were delighted to get a 1-1 draw with strugglers Birmingham.

What Newcastle need right now is someone who can bail them out of their current mess. Someone who can get the team to dig in and grind out a win or two to make the safety of mid-table. Someone like Sam Allardyce, perhaps?