By the time you read this column the deed will probably have been done and Newcastle United will be seeking yet another manager.
You have to wonder why every time this vacancy comes up there are so many top line bosses who seem willing to risk ruining their reputations by taking on the poison chalice of Tyneside.
Reportedly David Moyes, Brendan Rogers and Rafa Benitez are all eagerly waiting to get mauled by the Toon Army when Steve McClaren gets his marching orders.
It will mean that England’s former No1 and ‘Wally with a brolly’ will become the latest in a resplendent rollcall who have not had their reputations enhanced by serving at St James Park.
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In the last 25 years the Magpies have employed Argentina World Cup winner Osvaldo Ardiles, who started in March 1991, playing legend Kevin Keegan, club hero Terry McDermott, Kop king Kenny Dalglish, Dutch genius Ruud Gullit, rising coaching star Steve Clarke, England’s successful Italia 90 boss Sir Bobby Robson, midfield hardcase Graeme Souness, former skipper Glenn Roeder, now Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce, the leftfield choice Joe Kinnear, club top scorer and deity Alan Shearer, managerial high-fliers Chris Hughton and Alan Pardew, and finally beleaguered club stalwart John Carver.
Along with McClaren that makes 16 to take the hotseat and arguably only Keegan and Robson can count their time at the club as enhancing their histories in the game.
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As I have no links to Tyneside and, to my knowledge, have no friends who are Magpies fans – I am pretty sure they would have told me – I feel I have nothing to lose in saying Newcastle fans are their own worst enemies.
When you hear them on the radio phone-ins and see the online forums, Newcastle fans seem convinced that they love their club more than any other fans in the entire country.
Watch Mel Booth chatting with David Wagner below
Personally I reckon the couple of hundred who rock up to watch Bedlington Terriers probably have just the same depth of passion for their club, and that Magpies fans make themselves figures of fun for the rest of us – certainly I wouldn’t have been keen to work in the Newcastle branch of The Samaritans judging by some calls to the phone-ins after home defeat by Bournemouth last Saturday.
Perhaps passion tempered by some patience might be the way forward for Newcastle – and relegation might just give the club and their followers time to take stock.
