Newcastle United
On 22 February 2008, Hughton was appointed first team coach at
Newcastle United by director of football
Dennis Wise, joining
Kevin Keegan's coaching staff, working primarily on defence with
Steve Round.
[15] In his first match, Newcastle beat Hughton's former club Tottenham 4–1, at
White Hart Lane.
[16]
On 8 September 2008, Hughton was named caretaker manager of Newcastle following the departures of Keegan,
Terry McDermott and
Adam Sadler.
[17] After a defeat to newly promoted, but in-form,
Hull City[18] and a League Cup exit to Tottenham Hotspur
[19] though, Hughton stood down as caretaker and was replaced on a temporary basis by
Joe Kinnear.
[20] Hughton was promoted to assistant manager after
the Magpies appointed
Colin Calderwood as first team coach on 26 January 2009. In February, Kinnear took ill before a game with
West Bromwich Albion[21] and Hughton took charge of that game which Newcastle won 3–2.
[22] In the week following the win, it was revealed that Kinnear needed a heart bypass operation and that Hughton along with
Colin Calderwood and
Paul Barron would have to take charge of the team for the next few weeks and possibly months. However, defeats to
Bolton Wanderers,
[23] Manchester United[24] and
Woolwich,
[25] and draws against
Everton[26] and
Hull City[27] resulted in Newcastle appointing
Alan Shearer as interim manager until the end of the season.
[28]
Caretaker spell
During the off-season of 2009, owner Mike Ashley announced he was selling the club, and Hughton was again left with the job of caretaker manager when the club failed to further secure the services of Alan Shearer. This was followed by a statement from Llambias: "Mike Ashley feels it would be unwise to appoint a team manager when the club is for sale," leaving Hughton in charge for the start of the
2009–10 season. Hughton's first two games in charge of the new season saw inspired performances in a 1–1 draw with
West Bromwich Albion away from home and a memorable 3–0 win against
Reading at home, which ended in
Shola Ameobi getting his first ever hat trick. He continued Newcastle's unbeaten start of the new season with a 1–0 victory over
Sheffield Wednesday which also featured his first transfer signing of the season
Danny Simpson. Hughton also signed
Peter Løvenkrands and
Fabrice Pancrate on free transfers and completed the loan signings of
Zurab Khizanishvili[29] and
Marlon Harewood.
[30]
Permanent role
Hughton managing Newcastle United in 2010
A positive start to the 2009–10 season saw Hughton win successive Manager of the Month awards for August and September and then again in November, resulting in the board naming him as the new permanent manager of the club, after two stints as caretaker.
[31] Hughton's league start to his managerial career was the best in Newcastle's history. In January, Newcastle signed
Mike Williamson,
Wayne Routledge and
Leon Best in permanent transfers and
Fitz Hall and
Patrick van Aanholt on loan. On 5 April 2010, Newcastle, under Hughton's control, confirmed their promotion back to the
Premier League prior to a match against
Sheffield United, after
Nottingham Forest failed to win their match against
Cardiff City. They then went on to win the game 2–1 with a Peter Løvenkrands penalty and a
bicycle kick-goal from
Kevin Nolan to earn them a place back in the Premier League after just one season away.
[32] Newcastle then went on to clinch the Championship title on 19 April 2010 after a 2–0 victory over
Plymouth Argyle, winning 30, drawing 12 and losing just 4 of their 46 matches. Newcastle were unbeaten at home for the entire 2009–10 season including both cup competitions, clinching promotion in record time.
During pre-season for the
2010–11 season, Hughton signed
Sol Campbell and
Dan Gosling for free whilst getting
James Perch for an undisclosed fee. His first home win on return to the Premier League came on 22 August, when Newcastle thrashed
Aston Villa 6–0, with three goals from
Andy Carroll, two goals from
Kevin Nolan and one from
Joey Barton.
[33] Hughton received praise for his calm management style to stabilise the club, shrewd signings and guiding Newcastle back to the Premier League. Prior to Newcastle's 1–1 draw with
Wolverhampton Wanderers and away win at
Everton, he completed the signings of
Cheick Tioté and
Hatem Ben Arfa. Despite leading his newly promoted side to healthy ninth place by the end of October, unrest came when star player Andy Carroll was arrested for
assault. Newcastle followed this with wins at
West Ham United and a memorable 5–1
derby victory against
Sunderland.
[34] Both before and after the victory Hughton received the backing of his players and the Newcastle supporters.
[35] Later in 2010, Hughton led United to their first win against Woolwich in five years, beating Woolwich 1–0 at the
Emirates Stadium with an Andy Carroll header.
Following a 3–1 defeat at West Brom in December, Hughton became the first Premier League manager of the
2010–11 season to lose his job, as he was dismissed by managing director Derek Llambias. The decision was badly received by the players and the supporters, with veteran defender Sol Campbell claiming that the decision "makes no sense", and local commentator and ex-player
John Anderson saying he was "devastated and angry".
[36] The dismissal was also condemned by Lord
Alan Sugar,
[37] Colin Calderwood[38] and Alan Shearer.
[39] The club stated that "an individual with more managerial experience [was] needed to take the club forward".
[40] Peter Fraser of
Sky Sports said that Hughton "brought calmness, dignity and respect to the Magpies' dugout",
[41] while the
BBC's Phil McNulty's opinion was that "Newcastle's followers have been loyal and grateful to Hughton" and that "Ashley will no doubt face further accusations that he is out of touch with football's realities".
[42] Before the match against
Liverpool on 11 December, campaigners from
United For Newcastle organised a protest outside
St James' Park as an opportunity for supporters to thank Hughton and to show their anger towards Ashley's decision.
[43]
www.brightonandhovenews.org
