Collective Delusion Descends Upon An Entire City

How else can you describe Newcastle United's decision to appoint Kevin Keegan as manager?
This is after all a man who is yet to win a major trophy in football management, and whom both England and Manchester City fans were glad to see the back of in his last two positions. The initial response of Newcastle fans has, perhaps predictably, been ecstatic. The defensive frailties, blunders, tears and tantrums of his first period at Newcastle are forgotten - once again the Geordie 'nation' puts passion before anything else.

When I see Newcastle fans cheering Keegan's appointment, or indeed when you listened to them calling for Alan Shearer to be appointed (a man who has never even managed a Sunday pub side) I was reminded of the crowds who will cheer any member of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty in India, or for that matter the Bhutto dynasty in Pakistan. It does not matter their failings, people want to buy into the myth, and against their better judgement, do.

Perhaps louder than the cheers in the North East, will be the cheers in the North West. In case anyone forgets why, here's how Manchester United fans will always remember 'King' Kev: