The remarkable relegation of Newcastle two years ago comes full-circle with the Magpies’ return to the Premier League. SB Nation Soccer editor Richard Farley looks at the rebuilding of a shattered team.
Premier League 2010-11 Preview: Newcastle United, Rebuilding A Shattered Club
As I researched this preview, that moment finally came, two years after Newcastle’s relegation. That’s when I finished looking through the 2008-09 lineups and was reminding of all the players the Newcastle United had at its disposal.
Newcastle should have easily survived in May 2008, too, but (remarkably) one man derailed their entire season. At the time, Kevin Keegan was seen as a martyr - a man laying prostrate over the fading ideal of Manager, walking away from a position in protest rather than be told who will and will not be signed for his team. While sensational stories about purchasing players based on YouTube videos eventually surfaced, the upshot remains the same: Keegan walked away from club and squad, the ripple effect shooting through management and supporters, helping to derail the season. Newcastle had a number of opportunities throughout the year to stop a chain reaction, but Kevin Keegan started the process. Does anybody doubt Newcastle would have survived had Keegan stayed? Or slammed fewer doors as he left St. James’ Park?
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