Joe Kinnear was appointed interim manager, and he claims to have been mocked and undermined by certain quarters of the media.
That has led to threats of legal action and a refusal to speak to the journalists in question.
However, he has not questioned his decision to take on "one of the most difficult clubs in the country to manage", and has only stiffened his resolve to answer his critics.Kinnear: "If I'd known then what I know now I'd have still taken the job for sure, no question.
"Despite everything, I've never had a point where I've thought 'What the Hell am I doing here?' It's the opposite in fact, it makes me determined to prove my point.
"I can see why people say Newcastle is one off the most difficult clubs in the country to manage. But if I leave the club in a better shape than when I arrived, that will be my answer to the critics."
NEWCASTLE UNITED FIXTURES 2008