Back in black (and white)

The king is back - long live the king. Kevin Keegan has returned to Newcastle. It can't be summed up any better than by that much travelled over the last 24 hours cliche "it has captured the imagination." Many are talking of the Yorkshireman's managerail second coming with plenty of blasphemous bandying about of the m-word. But he did save Newcastle United on his past two times, first as player and then even more critically as manager. It still is a surprise since I saw that interview he gave to Gabby Logan where he said, never say never, but he could not see himself going back into management and that he hasn't seen live (presumably meaning not attended) football match since his last match in charge of Manchester City.
It is certainly a better choice than Harry Redknapp who would have been under pressure from the first minute. Paul Kemsley, fresh from making Tottenham Hotspur a laughing stock over the bungled transition of Jol to Ramos, seemed intent, on behalf of his close friend Magpies owner Mike Ashley, to want to do the same on Tyneside. Apparently, he browbeats into submission previously assured candidates on The Apprentice. The actual niggles of recruitment itself seem beyond him though. I know what Sir Alan Sugar would say: "You're fired!"
Keegan has a few black marks against his name, walking out on Newcastle almost eleven years ago to the day, allegedly in a fit of pique over denial of transfer money because the flotation was happening at that point. Doing the same with England and Manchester City embellishes the precedent. Also, he loaded Man City with tons of debt that was hard to service until last summer's takeover in exchange for average players. In a very prescient point while at Man City, he said that it became harder to work in the Premiership with every passing year, saying it would be much harder now for a promoted team to do what Newcastle did in 1993-94. So how much has the Premiership evolved since he took himself out of it? All in all though, his return bodes for interesting times on the pitch rather than off it. Newcastle still may not win anything, but at least we can enjoy what's being served up.
Big mention to Conference South team Havant and Waterlooville who not only beat League Two leaders Swansea but did it 4-2, being 3-0 up at one point, with Hav & Wat's goalkeeper saving a penalty. Now it's to Anfield and Liverpool, who are roughly 100 league positions above them. A real case of the haves and the Havants (thanks to Phil in Dorset for his text on a BBC radio phone-in). I bet though H & W would have been rather put out had Luton put Liverpool out meaning H & W would have to travel to Kenilworth Road instead. H & W will have to postpone that match against Weston-Super-Mare which clashes with the Liverpool game.
Also, well done to Steven Lee coming back from 5-2 down to win the remaining four frames of the match. His opponent, Graeme Dott, had a great chance to finish it with the frames levelled at 5-5, but one little slip, then another and it was all over as Lee cleaned up.