It was the Kevin Keegan way. With his beloved club engulfed by rumour, threatened with relegation and with his credentials doubted, the manager embraced a familiar cause last night; the charge of the black and white brigade, all or nothing, do or die. Even those who have questioned Keegan’s place in the modern game — and there have been many — would surely salute his courage.

Steve Harper, the goalkeeper, had described Newcastle United’s away fixture at St Andrew’s as the “biggest game in the club’s recent history,” but the febrile circumstances did not cause Keegan to shrink from his instincts. In fielding three established strikers against Birmingham City, a statement was made. Call it defiance, call it desperation, but it typified the man. To a degree, it succeeded.

For the first time Keegan felt able to start with Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins in attack, with Michael Owen completing a trio that, in theory, contained pace, penetration and power. Precedent suggested that Keegan’s thinking might be sound. Five years ago, with Leeds United ensconced in the bottom three, Viduka returned from injury to score 13 goals in the club’s final nine games, a record that effectively secured their safety.

Yet, as ever with Keegan, the adventure comes with a caveat and the old frailties emerge. An extra body up front meant one fewer elsewhere and Newcastle spent much of the evening being overrun in midfield.The first half was miserable and Keegan’s future appeared bleak when James McFadden scored.

Fragility is the Keegan way, too, and this felt terminal. But then came improvements, passion and Owen’s equaliser. It was a mess. It was gung-ho. It was very Newcastle.