Joe Royle or Kevin Keegan

[Ray78]

It is hard to separate as both had equal merits and faults.

 

[Lee-ManCity]

Royle. Will always remember what he done for this club, dug us out of big trouble. With a bit of luck mixed in.

 

[MCFC BOB]

Royle by a mile, 2 successive promotions and 3rd bottom with very little spent.

Keegan had a warchest to play with thanks to Royle's management.

I've changed my mind.

This convinced me.

 

[MANC LOYAL]

Royle by a mile, 2 successive promotions and 3rd bottom with very little spent.

Keegan had a warchest to play with thanks to Royle's management.

I've changed my mind.

This convinced me.

KKK (KING KEVIN KEEGAN)

 

[Soulboy]

Keegan by absolute miles.

 

[peoffrey]

Does anyone truly know exactly how and why Keegan left City? There was talk of mutual consent but I never really understood what triggered the conversation / meeting(s) that ended his tenure. My understanding is that he said he'd had enough and City admitted they wouldn't stand in his way if he wanted to go.

His second spell as Newcastle Manager was hilarious. We considered running a sweepstake at work to see how long he'd last.

I remember he had told the media he intended to retire at the end of the 2005/06 season when his contract was due to expire, this was around January/February 2005 and with City out of both cups and languishing in mid-table it looked the season was over so they both agreed in the March that Keegan could leave if he wanted to after a 1-0 home defeat to Bolton, which he did. Obviously Pearce then took over, got the team going, and we were within a penalty of the UEFA Cup on the last day which lead to Pearce getting the job.

There was no money and no real ambition at the club, a dark time.

The end of that season was brilliant. Played some great stuff and as you said nearly got to Europe. Singing "we're all going on a European tour" at villa park. Quality.

I remember the first home win against Liverpool under Pearce's new reign. IIRC, Musampa scored a late, late winner in 1 -0 win.

 

[BluePurgatory]

Both did there bit, but it was JR who got us through those dark days and to the play offs and you know the rest. If he had not got us there, they would have been no KK.
JR was also very good at handling the media with his wit. Some of the retorts will live with me for ever.
E.G On the signing of Andy Morrison a reporter ask if he was worried about Andys weight. To which JR replied "why has he lost some". Describing Paula Wanchope a daddy long legs with skill. YCMIU.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Whilst royle made some big mistakes, I always had a feel for what he was doing on the pitch. I felt he made the right tactical calls during games. One thing I really liked about him was that he wasn't scared to make changes, early in a game if necessary. I know for a fact that royle had significant personal problems during his final season and felt betrayed by the club. ultimately, he came with us in division 1 and left us in the same
Division. But it was he who turned the titanic and reversed the slump.

Keegan got us playing some great stuff for a year or two but wasn't the same after the stadium move. Maybe it was the flat atmosphere, maybe it was his shit signings, but the light in his eyes went out and it manifested itself on the pitch.

For me, then, I'm going for joe royle.

 

[Dubai Blue]

Royle, quite comfortably for me. I never really took to Keegan, despite the breathtaking football played in that promotion season.

The thing that's always grated me about Keegan was that we essentially mortgaged our future season-ticket sales to give him such a big warchest and he proceeded to blow much of it on utter shite, dishing out obscene contracts along the way that left us with our hands tied in subsequent years (yes, the board should shoulder some of the blame but he was the once choosing all the dross that others have mentioned already).

That money was a once-in-a-decade opportunity to get some quality and longevity into the squad but it was largely squandered on rubbish, leaving Keegan's successor absolutely nothing whatsoever to work with. Which is pretty much how he leaves all his jobs; there's very little long-term thinking involved when KK's around.

 

[Q-Blue]

Royle took us down to the Third Division. When he came, he had a third of the season left to lift us one place. We failed to do that because of his negativity.
He then wasted half a season at that level before we kicked on and scraped out of that division by the skin of our teeth.
He had no interest in trying to win any silverware as such. Another Sam Allardyce for my money.