Crocker

Newcastle United hired Sam Allardyce as manager, the English Premiership soccer club's third appointment in four years as it attempts to win a first major trophy since 1969.

Former Bolton coach Allardyce signed a three-year contract to replace Glenn Roeder, who left May 7 after Newcastle lost its final home game of the season, the club said in a Regulatory News Service statement. Allardyce quit Bolton last month after eight years in charge.

He will take over a club that finished 13th of 20 teams with 43 points, its lowest tally since joining the Premiership 14 years ago. Newcastle ended the campaign with an eight-hour goalless streak at its St James' Park stadium, prompting some fans to throw their season tickets onto the turf.

The 52-year-old Allardyce will try to end the northeast England club's 38-year wait since collecting the Fairs Cup, the precursor to Europe's second-tier UEFA Cup. Newcastle's most recent domestic success was in the 1955 F.A. Cup final, while it claimed the last of four English league titles 80 years ago.

Roeder had made a positive impact after taking control in February 2006 on a temporary basis when Graeme Souness was fired. He led the team to 11 wins and two draws in 17 games to lift the Magpies to seventh spot and earn a two-year contract.

Newcastle managed 11 league wins from 38 games this campaign as Roeder's squad was hampered by injuries to key players including England internationals Michael Owen and Kieron Dyer. Owen has started just 13 games since arriving for a club record 16 million pounds ($31.8 million) from Real Madrid in August 2005.

England Contender

Allardyce, one of the contenders to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager when the Swede quit after last year's World Cup, established Bolton as a Premiership team after leading it to promotion in 2001.

The club battled against relegation for the first two campaigns before finishing in the top half the past four seasons. It was seventh this season, achieving a UEFA Cup spot for only the second time.

With limited resources, the ex-Limerick, Blackpool and Notts County manager established a reputation for astute transfer dealings, acquiring experienced internationals such as Youri Djorkaeff and Jay-Jay Okocha on free transfers.

Diverse Squad

Allardyce's squad became one of the most diverse in the Premiership, with players from nations including Oman, Senegal, Greece, Spain, Denmark, Jamaica, Iran and Israel on Bolton's roster this season.

U.K. newspapers reported that Allardyce's concern over a lack of transfer funds led to his April 29 resignation. The 8 million-pound acquisition of Nicolas Anelka in August was his most expensive purchase, more than doubling Bolton's previous biggest outlay on a player, when it paid Wimbledon 3.5 million pounds for Dean Holdsworth in 1997.

Allardyce's time at Bolton wasn't without controversy. He was featured in a BBC investigation last year in which three agents accused him of taking illegal ``bungs'' related to transfers. Allardyce denied the allegations.

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Tyler Durden

Can't help but think this appointment is a fine one from both parties, and exactly what they both need.

Newcastle (along with Spurs) are just about the only club who even have a tiny chance of breaking the top fours dominance. Their midfield and forward areas have a lot of quality but lack direction and their injury/fitness records are disastrous. Allardyce has a history of using all the most modern technical science in keeping his squad fit and injury free. So maybe he can help keep so many players out of the physio room.

In terms of their defence, Given and Taylor apart it's woeful. However, this too is an area Allardyce is excellent at. Organisation is one of his strengths so that and bringing in a few players should sort out that area of the team.

The players won't lack for direction or a figure head with him there. Plus he's also showed that he knows how to man manage big name players, which is just as well since they have some of those!

I think, given time, it will be a fruitful appointment for them.

The only downside seems to be that Newcastle fans like their team to play a certain way, i.e stylishly and with an emphasis on attack, therefore it only remains to be seen if Big Sam can alter his management style at the top level to reflect that. Or if NUFC fans will curb their desire for good attacking football in exchange for less quality but more points!!

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