Terrible news today that Chris Hughton, the 51-year-old Londoner, was dismissed today after Newcastle’s 3-1 thrashing at West Brom – and this has to come as a major major surprise and shock to Newcastle fans everywhere.
Chris Hughton – sacked as Newcastle manager today
We have to believe that Mike Ashley and company didn’t think Chris was a Premier League manager and that he was waiting for some bad results before he could sack the Londoner, who did a fantastic job for the Newcastle club.
This hardly inspire more confidence in Mike Ashley from the Newcastle faithful, who seems to have been a little brutal to the man who got the club immediately promoted last season with a record 102 points.
And we suppose even if you bring a club back to the Premier League in your very first season as manager and save the club owner around £100M, you don’t get the chance to be successful in the Premier League.
This is what the the surprise statement said today on the official site:
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.
If the Board have sacked Chris today we have to think they already have a new manager lined up and that will now be the subject of intense speculation, but we would expect an announcement within 24 hours..
For heavens sake we have a game against Liverpool on Saturday and Newcastle are still 11th in the league, one place below the top half – but Chris’s performance in an up and down season seemingly just wasn’t good enough for the owner.
Who would have thought that a few weeks after beating Sunderland by 5-1 – the best result in 55 years, and then Arsenal 1-0 away in the following game, Hughton would be sacked.
We have to think that Chris will be in huge demand from some Championship club, who will be only too happy to offer him a position.
This will be a total shock to other Premier League managers, because Hughton has hardly deserved the sack – but we should have known after the Wigan game, that the rumors of Chris being dismissed if we had lost that game were in fact true.
The fact that thery wouldn’t odder him a new contract and delayed on that – now suggests they were waiting for a string of bad results – wehich some goddip papers had even suggested in mid Ocotber.
We are totally shocked by this news.
But before we finish this – we want to thank Chris Hughton for ther fabulous job he did at Newcastle, and we are so sorry this quiet gentleman has left the club – in such a way.
It’s hardly been done with any class.
Comments welcome.
96 comments so far
slazberger
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:08 PM
Comment #41surely he must have someone lined up, why sack the goalkeeping coach? maybe because the person lined up wants to bring in his own.
good luck in the future CH, you wont be out of work for long, and we will show you how much we appreciated you, which ever team you return with.
Lew Davies
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:08 PM
Comment #42sammy lol
Rotonda heights
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:08 PM
Comment #43TBH I didn’t enjoy the Bolton, Blackburn, WBA and Fulham games at all. We were truly awful.
What more worries me is who replaces CH ? It seems an awful list if O’Neill is top of it.
I think we missed a trick with Houllier
Rikjeard would be unreal, but never happen. Maradona would be interesting !!
A cheaper alternative and good footballing manager would be Lee Clark with Beardo or Gus Poyet.
scrotty
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:08 PM
Comment #44The Newcastle board are a disgrace!!!!!!!
It’s not like they’ve given him money to spend or backed him in any way.
Any manager who is willing to come to the club under these circumstances is a vulture and not someone we want…
hitman
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:09 PM
Comment #45ashley will go for a manager that costs peanuts
neeraj
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:09 PM
Comment #46Alan Padrew, I thought we needed an experienced manager
Gutted…..
CH you are a legend
Dude
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:09 PM
Comment #47i liked chris a lot, he earned our respect. mind, lets not get too teary-eyed. he was on about 300k and probably doesn’t need to work another day in his life. plenty others have been fired of late who are in far worse states.
Whitecap
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:09 PM
Comment #48Darkest day at Newcastle United since relegation. Unbelievable decision. Hughton has worked wonders with the club , in my opinion, both on the pitch and in the transfer market.
In the last month, Newcastle has won at the Emirates and tied the league champions. And let’s not forget the 5-1 pasting of Sunderland. All with a club that was in a lower division last season.
I’m still waiting for the explanation, if there even is one.
Shocking.
jesus was a geordie
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:10 PM
Comment #49Disgusting?
Pardew: shite
O’Neill: shite football (ask Villa fan’s – they’re happy to be shot of him)
Curbishley: shite!
Disgusting!
Magickit
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Comment #50seems no decent manager in the market now !
oneill resigned before becoz he didnt like the board at aston villa, so he must not come becoz of our board !
So who we can get ? sheaear again ? kevin keegan again ?? please dont ?
Penalty-Spot
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Comment #51I just don’t get it. It makes no sense what so ever. We’ll be the laughing stock again. The players will be devastated. The pundits and press will have a field day and we could so easily go down again. Another dark day in our history.
Howay The Lads
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Comment #52I doubt we’ll get Hatem Ben Arfa either now…
awesome_fumaca
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Comment #53Darryl @25 – you are a complete moron.
“Yes we beat chelsea, who are out of form at the moment” – they weren’t out of form at the time and hadn’t conceded at home for some ridiculous amount of time.
“Arsenal are bad at home” – they’re top of the leage for god’s sake!
“Sunderland being our only high point this season” – what about Villa 6-0? What about Everton? We would have also beaten Man City if it wasn’t for the ref and De Jong.
Chris has also (amongst other things) turned Carroll into an international, bought Tiote for peanuts and got a bunch of misfits to resemble a half decent team.
People like you should keep your pathetic comments to yourselves.
Lew Davies
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Comment #54Dont think we will be seeing HBA at the club anytime soon. My God he must be freaked out. poor feller.
roe997
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Comment #55im furious,sacking him has to be the worst decision ever.he was loyal and did an amazing job for us.funy how the spuds start snifing arnd players.i beleive we wil be relegated and players wil leave,sold to spuds,cashleys team,he wil make a killing again.its in blind sight the same process is happening again.he is using the club for money.its a disgrace! Pure trasesty! Get ashley out!
Lew Davies
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Comment #56snap
mark9403newcastle
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:15 PM
Comment #57Unbelievable decision, how can you sack someone who has progressively developed a team from what was a shambles. We’ve done fantastic this season regarding were a promoted club. I cant think what any other manager would do with the squad available, absoloute joke this club can be sometimes!!!
Toon XI
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Comment #58I bet MA has someone already lined up. Surely he isn’t that stupid to fire CH right now without his replacement inked and sealed.
alex84
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Comment #59tactics are not everything! CH was still learning but he had the most important thing a manager needs
and thats RESPECT from your players! Mike Ashley you are a muppet who knows nothing about football, you have just sacked a manager who really could have been a toon legend!
and if he brings in pardew it will be the worst mistake he could ever make
lesh
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Comment #60Priceless….
http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/2010/12/premiership/mike-ashleys-manager-wishlist-leaked?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TransferTavern+%28The+Transfer+Tavern+Home+Page%29
Brettoon
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Comment #61Toon XI – You’d think?!?
DrunkenSteve
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Comment #62I can almost hear it already…..
Get out of our club, get out of our clluuuuuub, you FAT COCKNEY W@NKER GET OUT OF OUR CLUB.
Brettoon
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:22 PM
Comment #63Lesh -funny link mate
tony green
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Comment #64Having dumped on Keegan, Shearer and now Hughton can anyone see O’Neill being happy to work with the fat t*at and lamb’s arse? CH did a very good job with very little resources.
Difficult to see who WOULD please MA…
Arsene Wenger …nice chap but a bit too french
Alex Ferguson…track record a bit shakey..
Jose Mourinho….seemed to think he could have his own opinion on things….
MA and DL are our very own football Laurel and Hardy…but the joke is really NOT funny any more…
I thought you had to prove you were competent before you were let loose on a football club.
Very much doubt those two know the right way to sit on a toilet seat…
GeordieGerman
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:28 PM
Comment #65Carroll next?
eddief
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Comment #66I don’t think he has any plan the statement says “An announcement will be made shortly regarding transitional arrangements pending the appointment of a successor. ”
This to me suggests they will look at who will be caretaker soon and then look at who will take the job permanantly. But who will be caretaker?? There is no coaching staff left now is there, except Pedro and Steve Stone but they look after the reserves so they will suffer too. All in all we have big problems – called Fat Ca$heley.
toonie
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Comment #67Farewell Chris. No more Mr. Nice Guy.
Ashley will have already been lining up a good replacement. He cant be that stupid can he? Sacking Chris without an option ready? 🙂
chuck
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:30 PM
Comment #68Hard to believe, just when i thought there was some stability and the club was rebuilding , albeit slowly (because of lack of funds) Ashley makes probably the dumbest decission yet.
Not only was it dumb, it was cold blooded and nasty, saving a few penny`s on CH`s salary.
Well it`s gonna cost him in the long run, nobody`s going to manage the club for CH`s salary, nor put up with his parsimonious attitude to-wards spending on strengthening the side.
CH, has done whatever was humanly possible and Ashley should look in the mirror if he wants a fall guy, the lack of funds to strengthen and bring the side to EPL standards, has left CH without the horses to compete and only through his efforts has the side punched above their weight.
Looks like “Deja Vu” all over again, remember the management change of two years ago that resulted in our EPL demise, hope there`s not going to be a repeat performance.
In which case it may be advisable for Ashley to reach into his pocket and bring in the re-enforsements required .
As for those retreads mentioned for the job, hope to hell none of them including MO`N come within twenty miles of St. James Park, rather see a Steve Clark or someone awaiting his opportunity, who has done his apprenticeship.
I`m not really happy with this cold blooded and dumb decission and hope the fans now realise what kind of owner we have !
Ciaran Thomas
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:30 PM
Comment #69Disgraceful !
Toon XI
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:32 PM
Comment #70I think Stone was named interim mgr today.
Ciaran Thomas
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:37 PM
Comment #71Steven Clark.
connor1009
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:45 PM
Comment #72Just got home and heard this, and to be honest i actually feel sick right now. I actually love the guy, and for the club to treat him like this, well all i can say is good luck to him, for me he was already a true geordie legend.
Howay The Lads
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:47 PM
Comment #73Danny Simpson says he’s ‘shocked’.
Finally, Twitter is useful! 🙁
Whitecap
Dec 6, 2010 at 4:50 PM
Comment #74Sol Campbell on the decision:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=849782&cc=5901
shearertodomorebigmacads
Dec 6, 2010 at 5:05 PM
Comment #75I am disgusted with NUFC. When will they learn that sacking the manager doesnt make the slightest bit of difference. We should be sacking the players! We were doing ok not great but ok so i dont see the point in the sacking. I feel that there has been a disagreement between CH and MA over the assisstant manager vacancy and they have fallen out. CH wanted an external appointment and MA wanted an internal one……………
I am sick of being a toon fan as we are branded muppets by every other fan from other clubs as we apparently demand too much from NUFC well im sick of it…… I DIDNT WANT CH SACKED AND IM SURE NEITHER DID THE OTHER MILLIONS OF TOON FANS!!!!!
chuck
Dec 6, 2010 at 5:07 PM
Comment #76Hopefully the toon faithfull will give a vocal message to our owner in regard to the firing of CH @ the next home game.
Bao Zheng
Dec 6, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Comment #77LEE CLARK step forward
puffinmuncher
Dec 6, 2010 at 5:13 PM
Comment #78Oh, no! Here we go again…
Toonboy_84
Dec 6, 2010 at 5:15 PM
Comment #79GUTTED! Thanks Chrissy. Best of luck in the future!
archaeomag
Dec 6, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Comment #80Boycott Sports Direct & not just for Christmas!