Hats off to RCA with Mitre win
facebook.com/NewcastleChronicle were then coached by former Blues’ boss Jose Mourinho.
It had been a difficult year for Lampard following the death of his mother Pat – but he put an end to speculation about his future by signing a new five-year deal with Chelsea in August, 2008.
DAVID BECKHAM
Beckham, like Lampard, had also played under Keegan when he was England boss but talk of a reunion at St James’ Park was always fanciful.
The Newcastle manager knew Beckham was keen on a return to Europe in order to maintain his match fitness for the World Cup qualifying games but LA Galaxy had no plans to loan him out.
LUKA MODRIC
Every Newcastle fan knows this tale by now. Modric’s agent was a fan of Keegan’s and contacted the Newcastle boss to alert him to the Dinamo Zagreb wonderkid’s availability.
Keegan claimed Jimenez said Modric was ‘not good enough for the Premier League’ and was ‘too lightweight’ while Jimenez’s version of events is that Ashley ‘did not want to take the risk’ given the £16m transfer fee involved.
The future Ballon d’Or winner joined Spurs in summer 2008.
BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER
From one well-known tale to another.
While Keegan was initially against the idea of Newcastle selling James Milner to Aston Vila, it was made clear to him there was a chance the Magpies could sign Bastian Schweinsteiger as a replacement. That, as far as Keegan was concerned, was a no-brainer.
It ultimately came to nothing and to Keegan’s horror, following a phone call to Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, he discovered the club had offered a mere EUR5m for the Germany international’s services.
THIERRY HENRY
Keegan was the first to admit Henry was a fantasy target but the former Newcastle manager would have loved to bring the Arsenal legend back to England from Barcelona, having felt he was the best player he ever saw play in the Premier League.
The Frenchman stayed put in Catalonia in the summer of 2008 and went on to win seven trophies, including two La Liga titles. SUNDERLAND RCA are into the last 16 of the Mitre Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup after an emphatic 6-1 win over Washington in Group B.
Three goals in a five-minute spell in the first half set RCA on their way, with Stephen Callen, Michael Charlton and Mark Davison netting on 16, 18 and 20 minutes respectively.
Washington pulled a goal back on 29 minutes, before Callen doubled his personally tally 10 minutes before the interval.
Davison added a fifth a minute into the second half, before Callen completed his hat-trick with 71 minutes on the clock.
Consett are also in the knockout stages as they kept up their 100% record in Group D with a 5-0 win over Brandon United, making their first appearance in the competition.
Calvin Smith and Dan Hawkins scored just after the half hour to put the Steelmen in command, before Michael Brown added a third on 55 minutes. Dale Pearson’s 77th-minute strike and a Jake Orrell finish four minutes before the end added further disappointment to United’s evening.
Also in Group D, Newcastle Benfield took a big step towards progression in the competition with a 2-1 win at home against Bedlington Terriers. Dennis Knight opened the scoring with a 10th-minute effort, Aiden Haley doubling the lead on 38 minutes.
Terriers pulled a goal back with 17 minutes to play but couldn’t find the equaliser. Another side that kept up their 100% record were Whickham, who advanced into the last 16 with a 2-0 win over Jarrow, another team going through to the knockout stages.
First-half goals from Matty Pattison and Dale Burrell set the visitors on their way to victory.
Guisborough moved up to second in Group F thanks to a 5-1 win over Willington.
John Howard gave the hosts the lead in the first half before Sonni Coleman doubled the lead on 50 minutes.
Jack Cooper pulled a goal back instantaneously, but the two-goal lead was restored moments later when Danny Earl found the back of the net. Harry Thompson then added a fourth on 63 minutes and Shawn Spozio piled further misery on Willington nine minutes later with the fifth.