BEFORE a ball was kicked there were huge changes at Newcastle United and St. James' Park.

Freddy Shepherd had appointed Sam Allardyce as the new manager in the summer of 2007 - but it would be his last major decision as Chairman before Mike Ashley stunned the football world by taking control of the Magpies.

Chris Mort arrived to take over the Chairman's position and no fewer than nine new players also arrived including Mark Viduka, Alan Smith, Geremi, David Rozehnal, Joey Barton, Habib Beye, Jose Enqique, Claudio Cacapa and Abdoulaye Faye. 

The Premier League fixture computer decided Big Sam should return to former club Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the season, but he left the Reebok Stadium smiling after a 3-1 success with his new team.

The Magpies went on to take eight points from their first four games before defeat at Derby (which turned out to be the Rams' only league win of the season) put a dampener on things.

Successive wins over Everton and Tottenham in October were all-too-brief highlights in the run-up to Christmas and a hugely disappointing November and December followed.

After an all too brief League Cup run, which had been ended at Arsenal in Round Three, it meant the FA Cup was United's only hope of glory in a frustratingly inconsistent season. However, after a hard-fought, somewhat fortuitousdraw at Stoke, the club decided a change of direction was necessary and Sam Allardyce parted company with United.

New owner Mike Ashley acted decisively and on 16 January stunned the football world with the re-appointment of Kevin Keegan as United's new manager. That same night Stoke were beaten in the Third Round replay but Arsenal gunned down United in the next round and that was that.

Keegan, though, immediately instilled new enthusiasm and belief into the squad. However it took 10 games before he registered his first victory in his second stint in the St. James' Park hot seat. Despite that, the changes were there for all to see and a great seven-game unbeaten run in March and April, with six goals from talisman Michael Owen including a derby brace against Sunderland, took United well clear of the relegation zone.

Although ultimately disappointing, it was a season that ended on a relative high, though a feeling of under-achievement still persisted.

There had been three captains, Geremi, Alan Smith and Michael Owen, new Senegalese signing Habib Beye was United's player of the season, whilst a loyal Steve Harper and rejuvenated Nicky Butt both enjoyed outstanding campaigns.

Season 2007/08

Premier League
Pos Pld W D L F A Pts
12th 38 11 10 17 45 65 43
FA Cup: R4
League Cup: R3
Top scorer: Owen 13
Avg Attn: 51,321