AFTER all the hype about Kevin Keegan dies down, he will be judged on results.

Keegan was a fine player aided by John Toshack, but he was unpredictable and prone to emotional outbursts as a manager.

The big question is: will he have Alan Shearer as his number two?

Somehow I think Keegan will not want his thunder stolen by Shearer.

I would have made Shearer manager with a relatively unknown backroom staff.

However, the die is now cast and we await the outcome, but the owner will need deep pockets to produce a team worthy of Newcastle.

Hugh Pender, Darlington.

THE Northern Echo made a real spectacle of itself last week in covering the purchase of Kevin Keegan by Newcastle United. How many pages did it devote?

Far too much space was given to the story - many of us couldn't give a damn. There are so many news items going on worldwide, but you decided to plumb the depths of sensational journalism like the tabloids.

Was your editor on holiday? Was there a rookie on duty?

We deserve more than this from a paper based in the North - not just Newcastle. For heaven's sake, get a life on the paper.

Peter Griffiths, Guisborough, East Cleveland