It is a word beginning with the letter “s”. It has loomed above Newcastle United all season and, if truth be told, over every manager since the swashbuckling era of Kevin Keegan. It stands for something real and significant at St James’ Park, something welded into the stanchions of the stadium. Ultimately, it did for Sam Allardyce. And your first guess is wrong. It is not “Shearer”.

Style over substance; that is the story behind Allardyce’s departure as manager after 239 bewildering days in charge. Because while there has been a genuine eagerness at Newcastle to shun the short-term thinking that has left the club a standard-bearer for underachievement, it finally came down to something equally fundamental: if football is rubbish, what is the point of football? Style is the word.

Allardyce did not expect to be sacked yesterday. In a bullish press briefing at 1pm, he discussed his pleasure at inquiries being made for Lassana Diarra, of Arsenal, and Wes Brown, of Manchester United. He talked of two members of his coaching staff travelling to Hampshire to gauge Joey Barton’s fitness. He expressed hope that the goalless draw away to Stoke City might prove a “turning point”. He was right; it did, but hardly in his favour. Chris Mort, Newcastle’s chairman, had complained of the “tedious” speculation regarding Allardyce’s future. Senior club figures had repeatedly denied that Stoke could be regarded as “make or break” to his position. Yet a meeting held after that match reached a different conclusion. Were there signs of progress? In reality, was a turning point just another blind alley?

When Allardyce was driven to the ground after his media duties, he expected an update on Newcastle’s transfer activities. Instead, he received his P45 and a big cheque. The timing was a surprise, although confidantes of Mike Ashley, the owner, point out that when he makes a decision, it stays made. The billionaire watches away matches in the company of fans; should a plaything not be fun?

Expert View

If Ashley cannot parade Allardyce’s successor in time for the match with Manchester United on Saturday, this is amateur night at the Roxy

Martin Samuel

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Background

• Newcastle forced to fight for Redknapp

• Redknapp: 'I am happy down on South Coast'

• Allardyce ‘not bitter’ as he takes break

• Why Newcastle is nothing more than a slog

Background

• Harry Redknapp is favourite for Newcastle madhouse

• Ashley must dig his club out of another mess

• Allardyce will be looking back in anger

• Alan Shearer is the man for the fans

Background

• Wilkinson angry over managerial departures

• Talk of move for Redknapp has familiar ring

• Martin Jol ideally placed to step in

• Newcastle madhouse: what the fans say

Multimedia

• Vote: Who should be the next Newcastle manager?

• Vote: Were Newcastle right to sack Allardyce?

• Video: Watch Harry having a ball during training

Ashley is aware of Shearer’s legacy, on and off the field. It may be a trick of the memory, but would Shearer the talismanic captain have allowed his side to lose so meekly away to Derby County and Wigan Athletic? Would he have countenanced so many poor performances at home? Would Shearer have hailed Stoke as good enough?

It is not Shearer the potential manager who has undermined Allardyce, but Shearer the player. At the start of last week, Allardyce was asked about the difficulties of doing his job in the shadow of such an imposing figure. “It has always been there and always will be,” he said. “There’s nothing more to say on the subject.” The suggestion is that Shearer has been jockeying for position in the event of Allardyce’s dismissal, yet he has had no contact with Ashley since the start of the season.

There was no conspiracy, just bad results — Allardyce won seven of his 21 league matches in charge — and some dour football. Away from the first team, he accumulated a massive coaching staff, revamped the training ground, began to install foundations and gave attention to a neglected academy. Most of it was necessary, although some established players had their misgivings.

The results on the field gave him little respite and no time to build. You could argue that in this crucial regard, he never quite got it. In his column for Zoo magazine, he lambasted the style purists as “ignorant”. He said: “Newcastle do play an open style, but only when we feel we have a better team than the opposition.” But nobody wants to cheer percentages; not even a businessman such as Ashley.

Local hero

Born Gosforth, Aug 13, 1970

Clubs Southampton (1988-92): 118 apps, 23 goals. Blackburn Rovers (1992-96): 138 apps, 112 goals. Newcastle United (1996-2006): 303 apps, 148 goals. England (1992-2000): 63 apps, 30 goals.

Honours Top-flight title 1994-95; FA Cup runner-up 1997-98, 1998-99; Euro 96 Golden Boot (five goals); Footballer of the Year 1994-95.