Former Toon Striker Fears Relegation!

Last updated : 27 September 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor
1999/2001 K.Gallacher 34/14 6
Kevin was Bobby Robson's first signing at SJP when he came for £500,000 from Blackburn in October 1999. Scottish international who was a great favourite with the crowd. Moved on at the end of his contract to join Preston North End. Born in Clydebank.

Gallacher: "The situation at the top needs to be sorted out.

"You have to find somebody to do that quickly, but the way it is going at the moment, who wants to take the job on? The whole package needs to be sorted out. That will take time, but do Newcastle have time?

"I don't know the answer to that because are very, very tough. It could be a long hard winter. They need somebody like Sir Bobby who can steady the ship.

"But when I arrived under Sir Bobby they were just sorting out a lot of unrest in the camp from the previous manager's regime.

"There was a split in the camp between the foreign players and the British players.

"There was a lot of bickering going on.

"Sir Bobby Robson came in and tried to mix it up.

"We used to have a British table and a foreign table at meals and he changed that.

"You still had your groups of people but he made everybody get on eventually. It was just a case of weeding out one or two players that moped around with long faces.

"Once they were out of the door and we got some new faces in we seemed to pull it together. And we really pushed on.

"You are hoping it isn't a scenario like that now because there aren't a lot of British players in the side.

"It is all about getting the right pieces in the jigsaw.

"Kevin was trying to do a job when he was here and bring in the right players.

"But he was getting players that he didn't want or need brought in for him and that's a different story.

"He was trying to put together a side and on paper you look at Newcastle, it's a great side. But playing together they don't look like they even know each other.

"There will be somebody out there. It is just about getting the right person that understands the club.

"I have spoken to people myself and they ask me 'what on earth goes on up there in Newcastle?'

"But you say to them that until you have played for the club or worked up here, you won't understand it. Then it's a different story all together.

"It's hard for different people coming in because they don't realise how big the club is until they have been up here.

"It opens a lot of people's eyes once they come and look around the place and they are taken aback by it."