Howey: The big difference between my time and now

Aug 2 2009 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

STEVE HOWEY was a key ingredient of Newcastle’s last return to the top flight, 16 years ago.

But what he is seeing at St James’s Park now is a recipe for disaster, not promotion.

The former United and England defender often heard words like “incredible” and “unbelievable” used to describe his and the Magpies’ heyday back in the mid-90s.

Now, he reluctantly applies the same adjectives to the newly-relegated, managerless Magpies’ current state.

Mid-table mediocrity was not a phrase entertained during Kevin Keegan’s time in charge.

Yet Howey, having reached for the stars during the Entertainers era, would settle for Newcastle merely finding their feet in the Championship this season.

Where anything positive seemed possible under Keegan, Howey fears the basics may be beyond United right now.

Mid-table mediocrity may never have been a phrase entertained during the KK era, but Howey is almost resigned to that now.

Opponents performing above themselves, hostile away grounds, egos crash-landing in shabby away dressing rooms . . . he can foresee all that and more conspiring against Newcastle these coming nine months.

Almost needless to say, Howey sees Alan Shearer as the man capable, in the style of Keegan, of keeping Newcastle united.

“The contrast between my time at Newcastle and now couldn’t be any bigger,” says Howey, the striker converted into a centre-half – and England international – by Keegan.

“From being involved in a team which was so confident, with the fans turning up and the club in a very stable position and looking to go up and up, the state it’s in now is incredible.

“But everyone knows what it needs now.”

What it needs is Shearer – “Alan would be my choice, I’m 100 per cent sure he’d be all the players’ choice and I’d be very surprised if he’s not all the fans’ choice as manager”.

And, as someone with personal experience of life outside the Premier League, Howey knows what is needed in the Championship.

“I’ve played in the Second Division, as it was, so I know how difficult it is. It’s very hard to get out of,” he adds.

Harder still for Newcastle now, though.