http://tinyurl.com/2wyuzg Sam Allardyce's departure as Newcastle boss brings to an end yet another failed tenure at St James' Park - but the former Bolton chief is not the first man to buckle under the weight of expectation on Tyneside. Here we look at the other men who have been and gone since the club regained their top-flight status in 1993. KEVIN KEEGAN The former England star's reign is probably the one which the club's fans look back on with most fondness. He was the man who led them to the promised land of the Premier League and the brand of football employed by Keegan - which came to "score more than the opposition" when distilled to its purest form - saw United become most fans' second team. They soon became challengers for English football's biggest prize and at one stage held a 12-point lead over eventual winners Manchester United in 1995-96. Keegan resigned his post with the club fourth in the league and his shadow has loomed large over his successors. KENNY DALGLISH Like Keegan, the Scot was a Liverpool legend, but unlike his predecessor he enjoyed a torrid spell in the north-east. In his first season Dalglish presided over a 13th-placed finish and lasted just two matches the following year before his brief - and mutually unsatisfactory - fling with the club was brought to an end. RUUD GULLIT The Dutch master was a high-profile appointment following his time in charge of Chelsea and his arrival promised to bring a similarly star-studded cast to St James' Park as he had brought to Stamford Bridge. But while he fulfilled his promise to bring drama and character back to the club following the dour Dalglish era, he also attracted acrimony. He reached the FA Cup final in his first season, but falling-outs with fan favourites Alan Shearer and Rob Lee angered the supporters. Defeat in the Tyne-Wear derby - a match for which Shearer was axed - left him with only three more days at the helm. SIR BOBBY ROBSON Former England boss Robson was just as well liked by the Newcastle faithful as Shearer and Lee and when he reinstated the pair to the first team it was a return to the days of happy families. An 8-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in his first home match even revived hopes that he could provide the title which had evaded Keegan. He duly made the club genuine challengers once again, bringing European football and the type of football the fans craved. But he was controversially dismissed by the board - a move many believe set the club back years. GRAEME SOUNESS Souness was seen by some as a puzzling appointment, with his job at Blackburn not entirely safe at the time of his move. But it was felt his no-nonsense approach would add steel to a dressing room accustomed to Robson's friendly approach. Souness fell out with a number of players - notably Craig Bellamy - but the arrival of record- signing Michael Owen seemed to give him some breathing room. But expensive signings like Albert Luque and Jean-Alain Boumsong condemned both manager and team to an uncertain future and he was gone by February 2006. GLENN ROEDER Initially installed as caretaker-boss following good work with Newcastle's academy, Roeder earned his spurs by removing relegation worries and instead placing seventh. He was handed the full-time role, despite early protestations that he was not interested, and although he provided some much-needed silverware - the much maligned Intertoto Cup - he was not deemed enough of a heavyweight to take the club forward and parted ways with the club in May 2007. --

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