Keegan Quits Newcastle - Official

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Kevin Keegan - Newcastle United (PA)

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After a confusing few days, the League Mangers' Association have revealed that Keegan has indeed left his post as Newcastle United manager.

Having not taken training for the last three days, Keegan's situation was unclear after the club insisted he had not been sacked and the LMA consistently confirmed that the former England boss had not resigned.

Club owner Mike Ashley flew home from a business trip to hold face-to-face talks with Keegan today, and it seems that the discussions have confirmed Keegan's decision to leave the club.

The relationship between Keegan and Ashley has been strained ever since Executive Director (Football) Dennis Wise was brought into the club to oversee club transfers reportedly without Keegan's backing just two weeks into his second tenure at the club.

And the relationship between the manager and the club's board continued to deteriorate over disagreements over the lack of high quality additions being made to the squad and the board's sale of James Milner, before attempts were made to sell Joey Barton and Michael Owen over the head of Keegan on deadline day.

"I've been working desperately hard to find a way forward with the directors, but sadly that has not proved possible," Keegan said in a statement released by the LMA.

"It's my opinion that a manager must have the right to manage and that clubs should not impose upon any manager any player that he does not want," he added.

"It remains my fervent wish to see Newcastle United do well in the future and I feel incredibly sorry for the players, staff and most importantly the supporters.

"I have been left with no choice other than to leave."

Newcastle fans are now likely to up the pressure on Ashley and Wise to leave the club after protests were staged at St. James' earlier in the week.

Chris Myson, Goal.com