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Keegan preparing for Ashley showdown talks

08/05/2008

Kevin Keegan has revealed he is preparing to head to London tomorrow for talks with Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley.

Recent media speculation has suggested that Ashley has been unhappy since Keegan made comments to the press on Monday declaring that the Magpies are "a million miles away" from being able to compete with the top four.

Keegan's remarks followed a convincing 2-0 win for title challengers Chelsea at St James' Park, which led to further fall-out over how competitive the Premier League genuinely is.

Ashley, who bought the club last year, is thought to harbour dreams of recreating the glory days of the mid to late nineties in the north-east, when Newcastle were challenging for the Premier League title and competing in the Champions League.

However, after Keegan seemingly poured cold water on any aspirations of this kind of success in the next couple of seasons, Ashley has called a meeting in order to set out some more concrete future plans.

"I am going to London tomorrow to talk with Mike Ashley. That's a good thing and I will look forward to that," Keegan said.

"That's the only comment that really I am going to make on anything to do with that today.

"Any other questions I'll save for another day and I will try on that day, whenever it is, to answer them as honestly as I can."

The Magpies' final match of the Premier League season is against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, although it seems unlikely they will move out of their current position of 12th.