The fact that Shola Ameobi managed to get to almost 400 appearances for Newcastle is a sour of no end of embarrassment to his most vocal critics, but if Kevin Keegan had remained at the club, the Nigerian Geordie would never have stayed. Over the course of his 19 year association with the club, only Sam Allardyce and Keegan seemed to realise that Shola wasn't that great, and it was the latter who tried hardest to get rid of him. First he sent him on loan to Stoke, who decided against permanently signing him after 6 unimpressive games, and then he only failed to sell him to Ipswich because he failed a medical. Had Keegan stayed, it's clear Shola would have gone, but thanks to the former manager walking out, Ameobi was given a stay of execution and managed to stick around for almost 6 more years.
