But it Hall ends well
Sir John Hall and Kevin Keegan, left clockwise, Keegan with top signing Les Ferdinand, the Championship winning side in 1993 which took Newcastle into the Premiership and Hall with United’s record-signing at the time Alan Shearer mediocrity but when replacing power you must do so with something better.
Regardless of what was to emerge long-term, I feel the rise and rise of Kevin Keegan and the building of the Entertainers with spectacular record signings one after the other was the most successful and exciting time in United’s modern history and therefore the bloody battle was fully justified.
Without it the Keegan years would never have happened.
United went from the brink of the old Third Division to runners-up in the Premier League and, had they won the title rather than fall to Manchester United at the death after sacrificing a 12-point lead, the Mags would have been changed forever.
However, the times of KK and signings like Shearer, Peter Beardsley,
Les Ferdinand, Andy
Cole, Philippe Albert, David Ginola, Rob Lee and Tino Asprilla were so special, so spectacular, they warmed the old heart of a dedicated Geordie.
There were many days of destiny along the road from Leicester away, where an own goal killed thoughts of a drop into the old Third Division, on to Leicester whacked 7-1 up here to clinch the First Division championship and promotion before abseiling through the Premiership. After all the hard graft, the threats and the ugliness of a shares war, Hall rightly enjoyed the sunshine. Recalling his seventh heaven against Leicester, he told me: “It was the most breathtaking first 45 minutes ever.
“We were 6-0 up by half-time and I was going from private box to private box with a bottle in my hand pouring everyone a drink.
“I even went up on to the television gantry and sang a song to the crew – everyone was singing the Andy Cole song. You are in football for days like this.” Actually Hall and Keegan did not go together easily at the time - great egos will inevitably clash - but the reality is they were made for one another. Many times King Kev was walking out and many times intermediaries on both sides had to intervene to bring about peace.
However, I firmly believe Keegan was never the same manager once he left Newcastle - be it for club or country.
Never was he backed to the hilt so often and so completely as at Newcastle.
John Hall was an astute businessman who had been knighted after building the MetroCentre.
He was a powerful figure who did not suffer fools gladly and he pulled around him a powerful team at St James’ Park.
That included the likes of the Freddy Shepherd, Freddie Fletcher, Hall’s son Douglas and Russell Jones who helped mastermind the reconstruction of the ground, turning it into the magnificent stadium it is today.
That Keegan left - Hall simultaneously relinquished power to ‘retire’ and Bobby Robson did not follow immediately but a little later killed the momentum and the greatest opportunity in United’s modern history was missed.