In 21 combined years as a Premier League club Newcastle have hired ten permanent managers, five different caretakers and two interims. Half-a-dozen of the ten were sacked. Viva stability! But as with every firing at St James' Park the rumour mill habitually hits the overdrive button and mindlessly churns out a plethora of names to ostensibly market as the Magpies' latest leader of men. And we've had some humdingers down the years! Some of rumoured incumbents to the black and white throne were instantly dismissed while others spread a blanket of sorrow over Tyneside upon rejecting the once in a lifetime (or twice if you're Kevin Keegan) to steer the ship of this bonkers football club.
6. Terry Venables
A regular name in the hat whenever the Newcastle post has been available, El Tel was the man Mike Ashley sought as a temporary leader to steady the ship in the wake of Kevin Keegan's rocky departure in 2008. The former England had been out of management for five years after an il-fated nine-month stint at Leeds and had "intimated to friends that he was warming to the challenge of reviving Newcastle's fortunes, provided the contract offered a degree of security" the Guardian wrote prior to talks with the Magpies owner. Discussions with our then Vice-President Tony Jimenez were already said to be under way with Venables seeking a fixed-term contract from the club. However, with Ashley attempting to sell the club at the time he was only prepared to offer a contract on game-to-game basis which contradicted with Venables' demands for a fixed-term contract. "Newcastle United means too much to too many people to take the job on a short-term basis," Venables later told the Sun. "It demands total commitment and dedication from a manager prepared to throw himself heart and soul into the club. I was ready and willing to give it a real go but all they could guarantee was I'd be in a job until Mike Ashley sells the club." We ended up with Joe Kinnear; the second of four managers that season.
