We also had two victories over Barnsley in the League Cup (it was two legs in those days) so that was an incredible 13 game unbeaten start.Keegan had built his own team over the years, yet Big Sam was thrown into the deep end in the summer, and told to swim.
This season sees the best start to a HOME campaign in 12 years.
Having collected 13 points from the 15 available, Allardyce has made an impressive record on home soil and hopefully away wins will follow.
Newcastle reached the Champions League under Keegan, as we did under Sir Bobby Robson, so the gauntlet has been thrown down.
We must thank the Premiership computer for being so kind with the fixture list, as we still have the big boys to contend with. But a good start was so important to the success of the new manager.
Aston Villa's negative tactics won them a point, if no fans, but the rest have been dispatched and "sent homeward to think again", as they say north of the border.