Smash hit

James Milner was sold to Aston Villa last week despite Keegan previously insisting he wanted to keep the winger, while rumours suggest the arrivals of Xisco and Ignacio Gonzalez yesterday were not on his say-so.

He asked Newcastle United fans angered by the move to sell Milner to reserve their judgment until after the transfer deadline had passed.

Having been unable to add to the signings of Argentinian pair Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez with several big-name stars, Keegan is believed to have become disillusioned with his lot at Newcastle.

Frank Gilmour, of the Independent Newcastle United Supporters Association, said: “It’s an absolute farce, you cannot run a football club like this.”

Times Archive, 1984: Keegan's departure will devastate Newcastle

No one can detract from what Keegan has achieved. His influence has been everything the neglected supporters could have wished for

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• What now for Newcastle?

Keegan walked out on the club in January 1997 when he was manager, citing off-pitch interference when his first spell in charge ended in disappointment.

Gilmour said: “This is on a par with what happened 12 years ago. I wouldn’t blame Keegan for going whatsoever.”

One fan outside St James’ Park said: “We’re supporting Keegan. We don’t like Dennis Wise and we don’t like Mike Ashley.

“I don’t know what was going on during the transfer window but still, you never thought he would leave.

“I heard this morning and couldn’t believe it.”

Another supporter said: “It is alienating fans but singing ’sack the board’ doesn’t do any good because Ashley can’t sack himself. But he needs to be forward about what exactly is happening.”

Keegan returned to Newcastle as manager in January 2008 after the departure of Sam Allardyce, having previously held the post between 1992 and 1997.

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