Kenny Dalglish (talking to the Daily Mail): "Most of my working life has been spent in the passionate football hotbeds of Liverpool and Glasgow.
"But for crazy, intense, obsessive and undiluted devotion to just one club in the whole city, there is nothing to compare with Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
"In 1998, as Newcastle United manager, I took them to the FA Cup final, made a couple of important signings (Didi Hamann, Nobby Solano) in the summer and started the following season with a couple of draws. Then I was sacked — still unbeaten!
"Was I surprised? The answer, in all honesty, is no.
"Because in Newcastle-upon-Tyne you have to expect the unexpected and the gossip, rumour mill and speculation run just as feverishly when times are good as when they are bad.
"Plenty has happened since 1998. Even the owners at Newcastle United are different. The Hall family and Freddy Shepherd have gone, Mike Ashley is in.
"But some things never seem to change so while it would be extraordinary for a manager anywhere else to be under pressure for winning promotion and going straight into the top half of the Premier League, normal rules don’t apply at St James’ Park, as Chris Hughton is finding out ahead of the famous Tyne-Wear derby today.
I have to stress at this point that I absolutely loved my time at Newcastle. If any manager or coach was offered the chance to work there, I’d say in a flash: ‘Take It’.
"The excitement and atmosphere around the place is unique.
"Of course, Celtic and Liverpool fans are just as passionate about their team as Newcastle’s supporters — that goes for Rangers and Everton, too, by the way — but the bond between city and club is special at St James’ Park because it is the only club in town.
"The stadium is only a few minutes’ walk from the main shopping streets and even in the height of summer with no football match to look forward to, everyone still walks around in the black-and-white stripes, proud to be associated with their team.
"The irony, of course, is that this constant microscope probably works against the club in many ways. Kevin Keegan felt the pressure when his great team of David Ginola and Les Ferdinand came close to winning the title in 1995-96 (he resigned the following season), so what chance did any other manager have?
"For all this wonderful support, the flip-side is the machinations behind the scenes and in the city, which always seem to lead to Newcastle shooting themselves in the foot when things are going well. From what I’ve been hearing about Chris Hughton and his future, history might be about to repeat itself.
"Chris stepped in at the worst time in the club’s recent history, relegated from the Premier League with everyone predicting the Toon were about to ‘do a Leeds United’ and plunge even further.
"Somehow, the quiet dignity of Hughton suited what this brashest of clubs needed at the time. Coloccini, Gutierrez and Nolan were magnificent last season. So were Andy Carroll, goalkeeper Steve Harper and many others as Newcastle won the division by a street. Barton has flourished this season in the top flight, showing the form that once won him England recognition.
"At any other club, Hughton would be given a big pay hike, the stability of a long-term contract and maybe a quid or two to spend on new players to help Newcastle preserve their status in the Premier League.
"I don’t know Hughton’s salary but I can’t imagine it competes with other top-flight managers. By stalling on giving him a new deal, the Newcastle hierarchy have invited speculation about his future, even if that wasn’t their intention.
"Personally, I can’t think of any manager they could appoint who would deliver better value for money than Hughton, whose operations on a relative shoestring have been extremely impressive.
"That would count for a lot at 91 of the 92 League clubs. But Newcastle is different, for better or worse."