Revealed: My part in Joe Kinnear's downfall as Newcastle boss

By Brian McNally

Published 13:00 19/03/11

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Joe Kinnear's most recent dig at the Toon Army this week rekindled memories of my bit part in his dramatic exit from Newcastle just over two years ago.

Little has been heard of the colourful, controversial character - now 64- since ill-health forced him to quit the Toon job in 2009 after undergoing triple heart bypass surgery.

But JFK - as he was christened on Tyneside after a foul-mouthed rant at journalists -proved that he was still alive and kicking by blasting the Newcastle public and press for not giving him credit for signing influential skipper Kevin Nolan.

The outspoken Kinnear said: "It was me who brought in Kevin Nolan for £4million. He was Newcastle’s player of the year last year but do I get any credit for signing him? No, because I am a Cockney."

During his brief, but headline-grabbing spell at Newcastle, Kinnear had gained a reputation for, shall we say, embellishing the facts.

And his latest outburst about being a Cockney is tinged with more than a trait of spinning tall stories. Kinnear's birth certificate shows that he was born in Dublin and not London and that is the reason he played 26 times for the Republic of Ireland.

But getting the facts right was not one of Joe's strong points as the highly-critical press pack were always quick to remind him.

His four-letter rant at assembled journalists including yours truly and his main target, my urbane Daily Mirror colleague Simon Bird, was a contender for the Guinness Book of Records with the manic manager spewing out 52 expletives in just five minutes.

So it was with some trepidation and surprise that I received an invitation from Kinnear to join him at his table at the Tyneside Irish Centre during a gig by Davey Arthur of The Fureys.

Kinnear told his other guests that although all North-East football writers were a bunch of c***s he didn't mind having a drink with my wife, Gill, and I.

Quite what I had done to avoid his wrath I still don't know- although maybe my Irish background and fondness for a tipple helped.

But what surprised me more than anything was to see the Newcastle manager drinking alcohol as at his press conferences he frequently insisted he was off the booze because of his health.

Kinnear was always tetchy whenever the subject of his heart attack during his spell managing Wimbledon cropped up. He was adamant that his health wasn't an issue although I always suspected that his volatility could well be down to high blood pressure.

But that night in the Irish Centre the Newcastle manager was engaging and jovial company as the beer and whiskey flowed long into the night and into the early hours of the following morning.

And when Joe decided to join me in a glass or six of my favourite tipple Jamesons Irish whiskey I soon caught sight of his legendary reputation as a one-time hard drinker.

I am no slouch when it comes to taking a drop of the strong stuff, but I have to admit that Kinnear well and truly drunk me under the table in that session.

The following morning when I attended Kinnear's Press preview for a game at West Bromwich I felt totally wrecked but Kinnear, amazingly, looked the picture of his health as he chided me over my almighty hangover.

The following day I phoned Kinnear as he travelled to the Midlands on the team coach and again he sounded chirpy and confident.

So it was a complete shock to learn that Kinnear had been taken ill at the team's hotel and rushed to hospital before that afternoon's match at the Hawthorns which Newcastle won 3-2.

And, despite Kinnear's bravado about about a quick return after his operation, Newcastle decided not to take any more risks with his health.

During my time reporting the North-East football scene I have seen 20 Newcastle United managers depart St. James' Park. But Kinnear is the only one ever to be carried out.

And to this day I still wonder if our session on the Jamesons played any part in Joe's departure from the Toon. Or was he simply a heart attack waiting to happen?

There were certainly plenty of Newcastle fans and journalists toasting Kinnear's departure and the arrival of the Geordie hero Alan Shearer as manager weeks later.

But in typically confrontational style a defiant Kinnear insisted that Newcastle's subsequent relegation wouldn't have happened had he remained in charge.

And, just for once Joe may not have been exaggerating. But love him or loathe him - and on Tyneside most were in the second category - you can certainly never ignore Joe Kinnear.

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