Poll: Eddie Howe will equal the number of Premier League games in charge of NUFC as Kevin Keegan - Who was best?
Eddie Howe will take charge of his 162nd Premier League game as Newcastle United boss on Wednesday night when the Magpies take on Leeds United at St James' Park.
This, according to the Ever More YouTube Channel's Stats Man, Mark Farrington, will take him level with Kevin Keegan, so it only seems right to debate which you'd prefer.
Kevin Keegan is often lauded as the most popular Newcastle United manager in recent memory, and rightly so. What he did for the club in his first spell in charge was unbelievable.
Keegan kept us in the football league and marched us almost all the way to the top were it not for Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson. In doing so, Newcastle became known as The Entertainers for their cavalier attacking play.
Kevin Keegan's Entertainers were stronger in defence than Eddie Howe's Newcastle - Who saw that coming?
Meanwhile, Eddie Howe saved us from certain relegation, got us into the Champions League twice and brought the first domestic trophy to Tyneside in 70 years.
Howe probably doesn't have the same charisma as Keegan had, and while we have had some impressive attacking displays under Howe, where comparisons to The Entertainers have been drawn, there is a more clinical approach to the game under Eddie Howe.
The two managers boast very similar records in the Premier League, too:
Eddie Howe - 161 games
78 wins(48.4%) 36 draws
281 goals scored, 204 conceded.
Kevin Keegan - 162 games
83 wins(50.9%) 36 draws
273 goals scored, 177 conceded
Eddie Howe or Kevin Keegan?
Kevin Keegan or Eddie Howe?
This stats dump sparked a good debate on our WhatsApp group this morning, and I felt that I should put it out to a wider audience, as they are both so similar and also so very different.
For me, it's a very difficult decision. My heart says Kevin Keegan. It was under Keegan that I truly fell in love with Newcastle rather than having just a passing interest. However, my head says Eddie Howe has delivered silverware.
I'll state my preference in the poll and hide amongst the data, but cast your vote above and we'll revisit this in a few days.
