TV Reporter Got Keegan The Toon Job!
Last updated : 20 January 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor
Now the truth has come out, neither chairman Chris Mort or Ashley had the foggiest idea who was going to step into the job.
As it happens, Mort by chance was watching the TV on Monday and a reporter asked Kevin Keegan if he wanted the Newcastle job.
Keegan made a flustered response, stating his love for the club, and said he did not rule himself out of the running for the St James's Park hotseat.
The Newcastle chairman, being as bright as button' said "hang on here" ... and he immediately contacted owner Mike Ashley, who was in Hong Kong on business.
Ashley made a series of phone calls back home from the Far East Keegan said he was interested.
The deal was done by Ashley after long discussions with business associates on a 14-hour flight from Hong Kong to Luton.
With him was retail tycoon Sir Phillip Green and a mutual friend, who said: "Mike discussed the appointment of Kevin Keegan and Phillip Green thought it was a great piece of lateral thinking. By the time we touched down, Mike's mind was made up."
Ashley dashed home from the airport to Hertfordshire, met Keegan to seal the deal and the pair hopped into Ashley's helicopter for a dramatic dash to Newcastle's home FA Cup third-round replay with Stoke where more than 35,000 Geordies besieged the ground - 10,000 tickets were sold in a late rush.
And that is how a billionaire works his business.
AMAZING!
Even if I live to be a hundred I will never understand the mind of a football chairman.
How can we forget when Sir Bobby Robson wanted to sign Wayne Rooney? Freddy Shepherd made a £23m offer to Everton, which was turned down, and two days later Robson was out of a job.
Obviously Robson's job was on the line ... yet a chairman was willing to back him to the tune of 23 MILLION pounds ... then sack him 48 hours later!