On this day in 2008: Newcastle announce Joe Kinnear as interim manager
Kinnear was initially handed a contract until the end of October.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Newcastle owner Mike Ashley sprang a major surprise by appointing Joe Kinnear as the club’s interim manager on this day in 2008.
Ashley asked the former Wimbledon, Luton and Nottingham Forest boss to step into the breach after Terry Venables rejected the temporary post.
Kinnear was initially handed a contract until the end of October with the expectation that Ashley would push through his sale of the club in the wake of protests following Kevin Keegan’s departure three weeks earlier.
“I am very excited about the challenge in front of me,” Kinnear said in a statement.
“Results have not been great of late, but there is a lot of quality in the squad and I am very confident the players are capable of climbing the league table.”
Kinnear anticipated some of the supporter unrest that would follow by adding: “It was a call out of the blue, to be honest. The fans are going to be disappointed, I am aware of that and I can do nothing about that.”
Kinnear marked his first press conference with an expletive-ridden tirade against journalists the following month, and stepped down from his role in February due to ill health.