Shay Given: 'My six year horror'

Shay Given returns to the scene of his biggest footballing embarrassment this afternoon insisting that Kevin Keegan can lift Newcastle out of the doldrums - given time.

The fit-again Republic of Ireland keeper insisted: "Kevin Keegan is the right man for the Newcastle job.

"This will be my 12th season at St James' Park and I have seen lots of managers come and go.

"In an ideal world, you want continuity. Alex Ferguson has been the manager at Old Trafford for more than 20 years. The success they've had sort of answers that question, you know." Given insists that Newcastle's first target is to banish the memory of that 6-0 humiliation when the Magpies were managerless after Sam Allardyce's departure.

Given said: "I have had a few low points in my career and that is certainly one. It was embarrassing.

"We were OK to half-time with it 0-0. If the referee had blown it up then we would have been all right!"