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Sunday, 2 March 2008, 10:21 GMT

Mort confident over Keegan future

Kevin Keegan Newcastle chairman Chris Mort has insisted that the board are 100% behind manager Kevin Keegan.

Keegan is yet to win a game since his dramatic return to the club in January.

Newcastle are just three points off the bottom three and Mort said that there is no danger that Keegan will turn his back on the club a second time.

"The board is 100% behind Kevin, and there is no doubt or worry that he will walk away," Mort told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek.

"He's come into a club that wasn't playing well and was playing poorly and the results reflected that and it was always going to be difficult to turns things around.

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"Now even the most blinkered Toon army supporter would know that old Kevin was the wrong choice."
christiansmith

"Clearly he wants to turn the results around and that is what he has come back to do, but it will take time."

Keegan is in his second spell at the club having left St James' Park in 1997.

He replaced Sam Allardyce in January but has struggled to get his tenure at Newcastle off to a decent start.

But Mort says that despite their woeful results Keegan is happy to be back at St James' Park.

"He is enjoying being back at Newcastle and the city is enjoying having him back," said Mort.

"I'm sure when things turn around on the pitch he'll thoroughly enjoy being back at Newcastle."

"Mike is the owner of the club and he is very happy to be the owner "
Chris Mort

Mort also quashed suggestions that Keegan had been unhappy with the appointment of assistant manager Chris Hughton.

Hughton was appointed assistant boss last week and Mort confirmed that it was solely Keegan's decision.

"Kevin came to me and asked if we could appoint Chris," said Mort.

"He made the first call to Chris and had full knowledge of it. It was Kevin's lead, Kevin's suggestion and he was keen for it to happen."

With Newcastle struggling on the pitch, it had also been rumoured that owner Mike Ashley was ready to walk away and sell the club.

But Mort says that Ashley is perfectly happy at St James' Park and isn't thinking of selling up.

"Mike has never tried to sell the club," said Mort.

"People have called us and asked us if we were interested in selling the club and the answer is always no.

"Mike is the owner of the club and he is very happy to be the owner and is not encouraging me to sell the club he still enjoys his Saturday football, obviously he'd enjoy it more if the results were better.

"He gets on with Kevin very well and still enjoys being at Newcastle."




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Related to this story:

Hughton poised for Newcastle role (22 Feb 08 |  Newcastle United )
Newcastle 0-1 Blackburn (01 Mar 08 |  Premier League )
Keegan returns as Newcastle boss (16 Jan 08 |  Newcastle United )

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