Shepherd leading Newcastle flock astray

Newcastle 0 Blackburn 1

And so Freddy Shepherd dons his undertaker’s demeanour and prepares once more to rip the heart out of Newcastle.

That might mean, as reports suggest, getting rid of Graeme Souness in the next 48 hours. It might mean bringing in a director of football above him.

It might mean sticking with Souness until the end of the season and then dispensing with him when a new manager becomes available. But whatever route Shepherd takes, the chances are it will be another fine mess for the good folk of Tyneside who voiced their disapproval at their team’s plight in a mass protest after Newcastle’s 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn.

How do we know? Because, where managers are concerned, Shepherd never gets it quite right.

He sacked Kenny Dalglish two games into a season, the Scot learning of his demise when he switched on his car radio as he drove to the training ground.

He appointed Ruud Gullit, a man with no empathy for the unique footballing passion on Tyneside.

He sacked Sir Bobby Robson after Newcastle had finished fifth in the league, famously declaring “I’m the man who shot Bambi” as if somehow it was a brave move rather than the crassest of footballing decisions.

Shamefully, he then left Robson to fight for compensation for the remainder of his contract instead of providing the clean break which dignity demanded.

Now, Souness, if those closest to St James’ Park are correct, is a dead man walking who would already be on his way if Shepherd could bring himself to deposit £3million compensation in the back pocket of a man he clearly believes has wasted the best part of the £50m he was given for team building.

Of that £50m, £30m was unavailable to him on Saturday in the shape of the injured Michael Owen, Scott Parker and Emre and the unavailable Amady Faye, while a further £9.5m for Albert Luque might as well not have not have been there.

The Geordie fans booed Souness off on Saturday and demonstrated outside the main entrance at St James’ but although the 52-year-old insists he will not walk away, the pressure is mounting.

“I can understand their frustrations because we are feeling exactly the same,” said skipper Alan Shearer. “We have just got to work hard and stick together and hopefully the tide will turn for us. We have got to get some points on the board ASAP, otherwise we are going to have a big battle on our hands.”

To pile on the misery, referee Howard Webb failed to spot Morten Gamst Pedersen diverting the game’s only goal into the net with his hand.

There is no question the most fervent fans in the country deserve better than Souness has produced.

They deserve a better chairman too.

Opta Fact: This was Newcastle’s first home defeat in their last eight Premiership home games.

Opta Fact: Blackburn have conceded just one goal in their last five Premiership games.