IT HAD been on the cards for quite some time, with many expecting Graham Souness' imminent demise.

When he was finally given the boot it was met with universal satisfaction. Within half an hour of the news breaking yesterday morning fans started filtering to St James' Park and the delight was obvious.

Gary Patisson, 38, said: "It is about time. I don't think he was the right person for the job in the first place. It just couldn't have got any worse."

Jason McNally, 35, of Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire who was in the club shop getting a strip for his father's 60th birthday when the news broke said: "It's fantastic news.

"We need a proper Geordie at the helm now. I think he was very autocratic when he should have been democratic."

David Agnew said: "When he said at the last match that that was the best he could get out of the players, it was obvious it was time to go. The players were starting to believe it too.

"A manager these days has to be a skilled coach as well as a diplomat and that is one aspect of his ability lacking."

Retired teacher Paul Newton, 52, of Newcastle, a season ticket holder for ten years, said: "He fell out with key players at Blackburn and he has got rid of some good players here - like Robert and Bellamy - and replaced them with players who are not as good.

"We have some class players here, we have got a team that can qualify for Europe, there is not a lot of tinkering needs doing."

Frank Gilmore, 50, chairman of the Independent Newcastle United Supporters' Club, said: "The fans never wanted Souness in the first place.

"We are in a far worse state than we were when Freddy Shepherd decided to sack Sir Bobby Robson."

"At that point we had just qualified for the Champions League, were playing attractive football and looked like a team who wanted to win.

"Now we are a shambles and we are in a relegation fight for the rest of the season."

Fanzine editor Mark Jensen accused the club of playing ''a very dangerous game'' by axing Souness and appointing a temporary managerial team of Glenn Roeder and Alan Shearer two days after the transfer window closed.

''If we don't start getting a few results soon we'll be in bigger trouble than we are at the minute,'' said Jensen, editor of 'The Mag'.

''If you don't win any matches and aren't scoring goals then you're only heading in one direction.

''I think the club have been playing a very dangerous game. You've had the transfer window, which closed two days ago, and now it's Roeder and Shearer until the end of the season, their hands are tied.

''I think they're desperate for another striker with a bit of pace and a bit of know-how with Michael Owen being out.

''If they succeed then everyone succeeds who supports Newcastle United. I think everybody's relieved Souness has gone because he wasn't doing very well.''

After the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City, Souness said: "I am not a quitter and I will not quit. I am not happy and we are all aware our futures are hanging on the need to get things right."

Fans all agree that this is one decision the club has now got right