Kegan retains his enthusiasm

9:39am Monday 5th May 2008

KEVIN KEEGAN admits he is just as excited about his second Newcastle mission as he was about the first, writes NEIL ANDREWS.

Keegan enjoyed a hugely successful spell as a player at St James' Park towards the end of his illustrious career, established himself as a legend on Tyneside when he returned as manager in 1992 and oversaw the club's rise from the depths of the old second division to the heights of English football.

But for a late wobble which coincided with an unstoppable run from Manchester United, the Magpies would have lifted the league title for the first time since 1927 at the end of the 1995-96 campaign, and that disappointment remains the biggest regret of Keegan's first spell at the helm.

Twelve years on, the second coming - and a surprise one at that - is underway, and while there is a long way to go before Newcastle can even dream of competing at that level again, the 57-year-old is experiencing the same buzz.

I don't think I am any different,"

said Keegan. "It's a different era, it's a different set-up, it's a different time, it's a different league, but basically, the excitement is the same.

When I came the last time, we were in the division below and I wasn't any less excited because it wasn't the Premier League as it now is, or whatever it was then. The excitement was still there.

The fans feel that, the players feel that and that's at every club at this time.

Every club that survives in the Premier League down at the bottom, the fans will be excited, whether it is Sunderland, Birmingham, Middlesbrough, whoever it is.

It's, wow, another season, we have got to got to Old Trafford to play Manchester United'. It is exciting.

The Chelsea game will be interesting.

It will be a good way to test ourselves because we have not played any of the big four in our seven-game unbeaten run."

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