When King Kev saw off Brighton in ‘84
YOU don’t need me to tell you it’s grim at the Toon.
Two points from eight games. Second bottom of the Premier League. Disillusioned fans. Mike Ashley.
It will take more than a players’ night out at a local pizza restaurant to sort this mess out.
Brighton and Hove Albion are the visitors to St James’ Park today.
Managed by Chris Hughton - a former Magpies’ boss who retains much respect in these parts - Albion are six points better off than Newcastle United.
Being utterly realistic, anything less than a win today will leave United in a perilous position with nearly a quarter of the season gone.
If the Magpies suffered just four relegations in the first 117 years of their existence, it could soon be three in 10 years under Ashley’s relentlessly bleak and dysfunctional tenure.
Our photograph comes from happier times.
It was May 12, 1984. A Kevin Keegan-inspired Newcastle United had just beaten Brighton 3-1 at St James’ Park to confirm promotion back to the top flight. This was Keegan’s last competitive game as a Newcastle player.
Fittingly, just as he had done on his debut two years earlier, the inspirational striker scored in the 3-1 victory.
The other two United goalscorers weren’t too shabby either. What price a forward line of Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle and Kevin Keegan today?