10 Biggest Newcastle United Controversies In The Premier League Era

10. Hanging Sir Bobby Robson Out To Dry

Freddy Shepherd admitted to feeling like the man "who shot Bambi" when he pulled the trigger on Sir Bobby just four games into the 2004/05 season, describing it as the "hardest decision" he ever had to make as Newcastle chairman. Laurent Robert was reportedly in tears when Robson informed the squad of his termination after five years as manager and so were most of the Toon faithful as we pondered life without the black and white knight. Granted our performances were stolid and anaemic in the opening weeks of the campaign but it was unnecessarily cruel of Shepherd to dismiss Robson without affording him the opportunity to trigger an improvement. Irrelevant was the then 71-year-old's achievement in establishing our position in the Premier League's top-five after years of slumming around in mid-table and masterminding a return to the Champions League. Remarkably even that didn't earn him a stay of execution. Shepherd, as he forecasted himself, felt the wrath of Magpies supporters after failing to attract his top targets and eventually plumped for Blackburn boss and prehistoric taskmaster Graeme Souness to instil discipline in an unruly dressing room. He was given the bullet 18 months later after a woeful spell in charge. Robson, meanwhile, never managed again before sadly passing away in 2010.