12 Greatest Ever Newcastle United Rants, Outbursts And Melt-Downs

By Michael Ramsay / November 21, 2014

3. Keegan Walks Out

Some say that it was the moment which consigned Newcastle's Premier League fortunes to the grave, when Kevin Keegan walked out on the club for the second time in September 2008. However, could one really blame the respected manager for refusing to spend another moment working with such an entourage of buffoons, who were so insistent on meddling in his transfer business? Having undermined him on the transfer front, employing a director of football in Dennis Wise to sign unwanted players - including a Spanish midfielder from Youtube - Keegan stormed out of the club, leaving the Tyneside club to circle the drain under Ashley's stewardship.

''They've been treated with a total lack of respect. Mike Ashley changed the name of the stadium. If he had wanted to know what the worst thing he could have done to upset the fans, that would have been it. I once had the pleasure of working for Mike Ashley and it certainly wasn't that! The fans feel like they've been absolutely betrayed and that Mike Ashley is just doing what he wants with the club. He bought this football club as a bit of a joke with a mate of his. Mike Ashley bought Newcastle just to say, 'look I've bought a football club'." - Kevin Keegan, May 2014.