Hughton’s sacking stuns Newcastle players

Newcastle have sacked manager Chris Hughton, the first Premier League boss to lose his job this season. In a statement released on Monday afternoon the club said: "Newcastle United Football Club have today parted company with manager Chris Hughton. Goalkeeping coach Paul Barron also leaves the club today.

"The board would like to place on record their thanks to Chris for his considerable efforts during the club's transition from Championship to Premier League football. Chris has shown exceptional character and commitment since being appointed manager in October 2009. The club wishes him well for the future.

"Regrettably, the board now feels that an individual with more managerial experience is needed to take the club forward. The task of appointing a new manager now begins. An announcement will be made shortly regarding transitional arrangements pending the appointment of a successor."

Who that new manager will be is already the subject of intense speculation with Alan Curbishley, Steve McClaren and Alan Pardew among the bookmakers' favourites. Other candidates include Martin Jol, once the boss of Spurs, who left Dutch club Ajax on Monday night by "mutual consent", and former Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill, though some reports suggest he would need a guarantee of job security in what in recent years has become one of the most transient positions in English football.

Since Bobby Robson was sacked in August 2004, Newcastle have gone through seven managers, with Kevin Keegan and Graeme Souness just two of those who have fallen by the wayside.

Hughton has made a decent fist of the role in the last 15 months, steering Newcastle from the Championship to the Premier League in his first season in charge. And though their home form has been poor thus far – they’ve won only twice in the League at St James’ Park this season – those victories have been thumping ones, a 5-1 thrashing of rivals Sunderland and a 6-0 demolition of Aston Villa. In addition, the Mapgpies held reigning champions Chelsea to a 1-1 draw recently. On the road they have claimed the notable scalp of Arsenal, the current league leaders.

But a resounding 3-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, a loss that left Newcastle in 11th spot, was the final straw for the board and Hughton was relieved of his duties.

The news was a surprise to the Newcastle squad, and an unpleasant one at that, according to veteran defender Sol Campbell. Speaking to ESPN Soccernet the former England centre-back said: "It makes no sense. Here is a guy who has done an unbelievable job. He got the club back into the Premier League and any manager would have been rewarded for that with a new contract, but Chris wasn't. The players admired him and liked him and won't be happy now he's gone like this... the players are sure to be asking themselves 'what the hell is going on?', that is only natural."

Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan described himself as "gutted, surprised and shocked" upon hearing the news, and the appointment of Magpies’ legend Peter Beardsley as caretaker manager will do little to quell the rising tide of discontent on Tyneside. ·