Newcastle United Football Club

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

• Ground:St James' Park
• Capacity:52193

Magpies: Keegan talks ongoing

03 Sep 2008 - 12:02:39

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Newcastle United have reiterated that Kevin Keegan is still the club's manager and insist the former England boss has not resigned or been sacked.

Confusion reigned on Tyneside on Tuesday when reports suggested the 57-year-old had left the Magpies only for the club to release a statement later in the day saying that was not the case.

A further statement on the club's official website read: "Newcastle United Football Club can confirm that discussions are ongoing between the Board and Kevin Keegan.

"Both the club and Kevin would like to reiterate that Kevin remains as manager.

"He has not resigned nor has he been sacked, as has been confirmed in respective statements made by Kevin and Newcastle United Football Club."

Keegan has only been back in the St James' Park hot-seat for eight months after making a popular return for a second stint as manager in January.

However, the former Fulham and Manchester City manager is reported to be unhappy at the club's failure to bolster his squad sufficiently during the transfer window.

The Magpies added only Spain Under-21 striker Xisco and Uruguay international midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez on loan before the transfer window closed on Monday evening.

Keegan had lost midfielder James Milner to Aston Villa in a £12million sale last week in a deal that further stretched his already thin squad.

His second spell on Tyneside has been blighted by problems with several key players absent through injury for prolonged periods.

It took Keegan ten attempts to win his first game back in charge and, from his 21 matches to date, he has been on the winning side on only six occasions.

Keegan previously left St James' Park in 1997 after five years at the helm of the Magpies.