Kevin Keegan sensationally returned as Newcastle boss in what could hardly be seen as a huge shock at the soap opera that is Newcastle United Football Club.

Sam Allardyce wasn't long in the job before he was pushed through the revolving door at St James's Park following a who's who' of managers including Dalglish, Gullit, Sir Bobby Robson, Souness, Roeder and Allardyce who have tried and failed to bring success since Keegan left the club in 1997.

There is no doubting the fact that Keegan knows the club probably better than anyone else with both spells as a manager and a player, and he understands the expectations of the fans so there are a lot of positives to take from his appointment. Throw into the mix the possibility of Alan Shearer becoming his assistant and you would have to pull the Toon army's heads out of cloud nine.

However the football landscape has changed dramatically since Keegan was last in charge of the Magpies in the Nineties, with the Premiership now awash with money. Newcastle were one of the biggest spenders in those days with only Manchester United able to compete financially with them, but nowadays seven or eight teams in the Premiership can compete for the same players in the transfer market.

Keegan has been promised an open cheque book by the club's owner Mike Ashley, but it is imperative he spends wisely, as buying poor players has invariably been the downfall of the managers that have followed him.

His sides have never been renowned for their defensive capabilities but it is one area where Keegan will need to considerably strengthen if he is to turn around their fortunes. Creative midfielders and a fully fit Michael Owen would also go a long way to bringing back the heady heights when they were challenging Manchester United for the title in 1996.

So what can Newcastle fans realistically hope to achieve under the tutelage of Super Kev? One thing is certain - Keegan will get Newcastle playing the brand of exciting attacking football that their fans have largely been starved of since his departure a decade ago and his teams have been renowned for. The only way for Newcastle is up, and surely Keegan's arrival will bring a fresh wave of optimism and excitement to the place and give all the players and staff a lift.

Newcastle have been in the doldrums for the last few years and their loyal fans deserve so much better than what they have been treated to under the last few managers.

This could be a masterstroke of an appointment with Keegan perhaps grooming Shearer to take over the reigns or it could be a disaster. Beware Geordie fans though, Keegan has quit every other club he has managed, and England of course, and it's one way with him or invariably the highway. What will happen if Newcastle get off to a poor start under his reign or suffer a catastrophic slump in form?

I believe he needs to be given time, possibly the whole of his three-and-a-half year contract to turn Newcastle's fortunes around.

Only time will tell how well he will do but one thing is for sure; his hero status on Tyneside will always remain intact.