Kevin Keegan, the Newcastle United manager, emerged from his meeting with Mike Ashley, the owner, yesterday with both men determined to put a discordant week behind them. Discussions were described as “productive and constructive” by Chris Mort, the club's chairman, who hosted proceedings at his legal office in London's Fleet Street. The location was an unintentional, if appropriate, irony.

Newcastle have been buffeted by a raft of negative headlines since Keegan reacted to his team's 2-0 defeat by Chelsea five days ago with the declaration that his side were a “million miles” away from the top four of the Barclays Premier League, claiming that he had little input regarding transfer policy and rarely spoke to Ashley, the billionaire owner.

At a club where relationships are raw - Keegan's appointment in January was followed by that of a three-man team, Dennis Wise among them, responsible for player acquisitions - the manager's frustrations were noted, but Ashley does not expect to be questioned publicly in future. A clear delineation of duties has been marked out and Keegan and Wise have been told emphatically that they must work together. Cliques and leaks will not be tolerated.

For Newcastle supporters there will be relief that their passionate manager - who has lifted the mood of the city since his return to St James' Park, as well as leading the team away from relegation - remains in place. With Ashley determined to bring good housekeeping practices to the club, the partnership between him and Keegan could yet prove formidable.

Apart from Ashley, Keegan and Mort, present at the Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer offices were Derek Llambias, the new deputy chairman, Wise, the executive director (football), and Tony Jiminez, the vice-president (player recruitment). “It was a good meeting,” Mort said.

In public there has been a sense of uncertainty about Keegan's role in transfers, beyond identifying potential targets. The manager has been reassured that he will have the final say on all deals and expects to have autonomy over first-team affairs. In return, Ashley, who has previously been a hands-off benefactor, has demanded loyalty and open minds.

Speaking before the meeting, Keegan had insisted that he could not deviate from his heart-on-sleeve persona. “Part of my job as manager of Newcastle is to tell the fans what is happening at their club,” he said. “I will continue to do what I have always done while I have been manager of Newcastle United, Manchester City, Fulham and England. I am not scared of saying what I think the situation is, and I will not depart from that.”