At the start of 2008, the vast majority of Newcastle fans would have been elated to know that both Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer would have been involved in the management of their beloved club during the next year and a half. It was their ‘dream ticket’. Unfortunately, the past season resembled more of a nightmare with off-the-field problems overshadowing those clearly evident on the field.

The decision to bring in Dennis Wise was ultimately the one that subsequently drove Keegan to resign. The fans turned on Wise and owner Mike Ashley and protests over the ‘Cockney mafia’s’ takeover of their team led Ashley to cease attending matches for his own safety. Joe Kinnear took charge but results failed to improve and the Toon hovered around the relegation zone during a period when Ashley put the club up for sale.

Kinnear was hospitalised in February and when it became clear he would not make a quick return, local hero turned tv pundit Alan Shearer agreed to take temporary charge for the remaining 8 games in a bid to save them from the drop. Despite inspiring a 3-1 home win in the Tyne-Tees derby, the final day 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa condemned them to Championship football.

The club was put up for sale again with Ashley wanting out as quickly as possible and with the extreme probability of a mass exodus via a fire-sale of those high earners, whomever takes charge for Newcastle’s first match in 2009/10 will chose his starting eleven from a much-changed squad.