Friday, Jan. 18, 2008

LONDON (AP) Kevin Keegan is returning as Newcastle United manager to put the smile back on the face of Magpies fans.

Kevin Keegan, new manager of Newcastle United, leaves St. James' Park on Wednesday night following his club's 4-1 win over Stoke City in their F.A. Cup third-round replay. AP PHOTO

Frustrated by almost four decades without a title, the supporters celebrated the club's announcement on Wednesday that the former England striker and coach is replacing Sam Allardyce — a popular entertainer taking over from a dour pragmatist.

A few brief words on the club's Web site confirming the appointment sent hundreds of Magpies fans out onto the streets around St. James' Park and, hours before Wednesday's F.A. Cup game against Stoke, some held up the black-and-white striped shirts with "King Kev" on the back.

With Keegan watching from the stands, Newcastle won its third-round replay 4-1 against Stoke, a team it had drawn 0-0 with less than two weeks ago.

Even though there is little chance of the Magpies winning the English Premier League title for the first time since 1927, Keegan's return was applauded by former players and fans even though he walked out on the club a decade ago.

"The news broke this afternoon . . . when I heard that, I was very, very excited," Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given said. "The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up."

Newcastle hasn't won any title since the 1969 Fairs Cup and, even though the team is 11th in the Premier League and 25 points behind co-leaders Manchester United and Arsenal, Keegan's return has been hailed as a victory for owner Mike Ashley.

It was Keegan who lifted the Magpies to promotion to the Premier League in 1993, followed by a third-place finish in the top division the following season. The Magpies then finished runners-up to Manchester United in 1996, although that season also had one of Keegan's lowest moments.

His team squandered a 12-point lead over the Red Devils, who made up the ground to win the title by four points. On the day United passed Newcastle, Keegan ranted on live TV, jabbing his finger furiously toward the camera and accusing rival manager Alex Ferguson of underhand verbal tactics.

While Keegan moved on midway through the following season, to be replaced by Kenny Dalglish, Ruud Gullit, Bobby Robson, Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder and Allardyce, Ferguson was on a run of nine Premier League titles, five F.A. Cups and a Champions League title and is still going strong at Old Trafford.

Now Keegan is back to transform from the pedestrian mid-standings team Allardyce produced to the attack-minded side the fans have been demanding all season.

Allardyce left the club a week ago and Newcastle crumbled at Manchester United 6-0 on Saturday, and the fans are waiting for Keegan to arrive in time for Saturday's game against visiting Bolton.

Newcastle has a star-studded squad, including Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins, Damien Duff, Alan Smith, Nicky Butt, James Milner and Emre Belozoglu, but failed to play consistent or attractive soccer under the former Bolton manager.

"You dream like the fans dream that maybe Kevin would come back," Given said. "There's a lot of people pinching themselves because the dream has come true."

Keegan's return may also lead to the return of Alan Shearer as one of his coaches. The former England striker scored 148 goals in 303 games in 10 years for the Magpies until he retired in 2006. He has since been gaining coaching qualifications but has said it is too early for him to become Newcastle manager.

LONDON (AP) Non-league Havant and Waterlooville beat Swansea 4-2 in the English F.A. Cup on Wednesday to set up a fourth-round meeting with Liverpool.

Havant and Waterlooville scored three goals in the first 37 minutes of its replay to ease to victory over Swansea and earn a meeting with the seven-time cup winner at Anfield on Jan. 26.

Also Wednesday, Manchester City beat Premier League rival West Ham 1-0, and League Two club Hereford ousted Tranmere 1-0.

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