Kevin Keegan walked away from Newcastle United last night, and took with him the goodwill, faith and hope of the club's fans.
Keegan gave Tyneside a figurehead boss to love, cherish and respect. A uniting force for a club, and a region, that few characters in sport, politics or business could emulate.
Unfortunately owner Mike Ashley just didn't get it. To him, stirrer-inchief Dennis Wise, chairman Derek Llambias, Tony Jiminez and Jeff Vetere, are the important ones. The men to make transfer calls above a legendary manager's head.
Keegan, who said his job had been made impossible because of boardlevel interference, had the Geordie nation falling in line behind him last night as his departure threw a city into angry introspection.
Keegan's arrival in January had the then-chairman Chris Mort saying women stopped him in the street to admit their husbands had wept with joy at the news. The tears were of a different kind last night.
Ashley will start his hunt for his third boss in 15 months at the helm of a club that looks increasingly unmanageable with Wise and Llambias pulling the strings.
Fans will be asked to rally behind their ninth manager in under 12 years - but last night it appeared their patience has finally snapped.
Ashley will be hit by a scathing "Letter of no confidence" that one leading fanzine is giving fans the chance to sign.
And plans for a co-ordinated boycott of the first ten minutes of the Hull game on September 13 have been proposed as fans mobilise for a fight in protest at the strife being heaped on their club.
For decades the Geordie support base has put up with failure, sackings, and near misses, and refrained from direct protest. But it seems militancy could be setting in.
Newcastle council even weighed in by passing an all-party motion of support of Keegan who Labour group leader Nick Forbes described as "an asset to the city."
Keegan was handed a letter by Llambias yesterday morning in which it was made clear the club would not be bowing to his wish and removing Wise from his Executive Director role. And that Ashley would not be rowing back from his "long term structure."
If Ashley appointed Keegan to sell shirts (at his own Sports Direct stores), pull in corporate fans and fill the stadium, then the plan has spectacularly backfired.
His team failed miserably to realise the kind of old-school boss they were appointing, and showed no skill in managing Keegan's temperament.
Keegan was undermined just nine days into his reign when Ashley appointed a tier of management above his head to do transfer deals, led by Wise and Jiminez.
Just like in 1992, to reprise his famous quote: "It hadn't turned out like the brochure had advertised."
Eight months of simmering tensions and barbed public comments came to a head in the last seven days. Of this summer's new recruits, only Danny Guthrie had been Keegan's idea. His bosses signed the other four, Jonas Gutierrez, Fabrizio Coloccini and on deadline day Xisco and the little known Nacho Gonzalez on loan.
With six first teamers left, and a net investment of just £10m, Keegan had been badly short changed.
He had also been stripped of influence in recommending players for new contracts. He wanted to give James Milner a pay-rise, and instead he was sold to Aston Villa on Wise's orders. Then Wise and his team failed to bring in replacements Keegan wanted, or in the case of Xisco and Gonzalez, even people he'd heard of.
Fanzine True Faith made the first move to sum up the discontent on Tyneside. Their 'no-confidence' letter demands Ashley now gets rid of Wise and Llambias, and accuses him of not investing enough to build a competitive squad.
It adds: "This publication would like to make it abundantly clear that it has NO CONFIDENCE whatsoever in the management structure at Newcastle United which includes the position of Dennis Wise as Executive Director and Managing Director, Derek Llambias.
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"This publication would like to make it clear it has considerable doubts as to your suitability to own Newcastle United Football Club."
Ashley spent £200m on buying Newcastle and now has a damaged business. Its biggest asset, the fans, are alienated.
He bought the club "to enjoy watching football with the family". Standing on the terraces now seems out of the question.
Only a subservient crony of Ashley or Wise need take on the challenge of managing Newcastle right now.
Don't expect Alan Shearer to come within a mile of this shower.
Gus Poyet is the bookies' 6-4 favourite to succeed Keegan. Wise is 5-2. Dark days indeed at St James's Park.
Kevin Keegan's statement: "'I've been working desperately hard to find a way forward with the directors, but sadly that has not proved possible.
"It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want.
"It remains my fervent wish to see Newcastle United do well in the future and I feel incredibly sorry for the players, staff and most importantly the supporters. I have been left with no choice other than to leave."
TOON MANAGER MERRY-GO-ROUND
Kevin Keegan: Feb 1992 - Jan 1997 Kenny Dalglish: Jan 1997 - Aug 1998 Ruud Gullit: Aug 1998 - Aug 1999 Sir Bobby Robson: Sept 1999 - Aug2004 Graeme Souness: Sept 2004 - Feb 2006 Glenn Roeder: Feb 2006 - May 2007 Sam Allardyce: May 2007 - Jan 2008 Kevin Keegan: Jan 2008 - Sept 2008.
KK: THE SERIAL QUITTER
NEWCASTLE February 1992: Takes over as manager of Newcastle following the sacking of Ossie Ardiles but then walks out after money promised for players does not appear. Keegan agrees to return after talks with chairman Sir John Hall. JANUARY 1997: Resigns as Newcastle manager for the second time.
FULHAM April 1999: Walks out on Fulham after winning second division title to take the England job permanently. He had been caretaker coach of the national side.
ENGLAND October 2000: Resigns as England manager after 1-0 defeat against Germany at Wembley, the last game at the old stadium.
MAN CITY March 2005: Leaves Manchester City 'by mutual consent' after nearly four years in charge. Announces his immediate retirement from management.
NEWCASTLE September 2008: Resigns from Newcastle, saying a manager 'must have the right to manage'. Toon won just six out of 21 competitive games in his second spell.
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