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It’s 18 years - yes 18 - since Bobby Robson strode out at St James’ Park as the new manager of Newcastle United.

In the event, he might well have arrived at Gallowgate two-and-a-half years earlier.

When Kevin Keegan shocked Tyneside by walking out on United in February 1997, over in Barcelona one man agonised over his own future.

After much soul-searching, Robson decided to honour his contract as manager at the Nou Camp, rather than replace Keegan and return to manage his boyhood club.

Two-and-a-half years and two managers later, he would eventually arrive at Gallowgate to sort out one almighty mess.

For those who care to recall September 1999, manager Ruud Gullit had chosen to fall on his sword after United picked up just one point from 18 in a sequence of games which culminated in a shambolic, rain-lashed 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland.

Robson inherited a demoralised team that was rock-bottom of the Premier League.

The rescue mission began almost immediately with a much improved performance and a narrow 1-0 defeat in a baptism of fire at Stamford Bridge.

The next game, and Robson’s ‘home debut’, against Sheffield Wednesday on September 19, 1999, provided a statement of intent for his next five and a half years at the helm.

A resurgent, inspired United swarmed forward from the off, with Aaron Hughes breaking the deadlock after just 11 minutes.

Then Alan Shearer - one of Gullit’s subs for the Sunderland debacle - fired in a 12-minute hat-trick as St James’ Park rediscovered its voice and its confidence.

Four-nil up at half-time, Keiron Dyer made it five within a minute of the re-start, before Gary Speed hit a sixth, and Alan Shearer notched another two in the last ten minutes.

8-0. It was a game when you got sick of cheering and almost lost track of the goals tally.

Historically, it was the Toon’s biggest winning margin since the famous 13-0 demolition of Newport at St James’ in 1946.

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More importantly, it provided a precious foothold for United to move up the league.

In a season where they’d looked relegation certainties, they would finish eleventh and - as we know - even better was to come under Sir Bobby Robson.