Rob Lee says that the season ahead reminds him of the Kevin Keegan era at St James' Park as Eddie Howe and his players start a new campaign in earnest. Lee has given his seal of approval to the former AFC Bournemouth chief ahead of a big season.
Lee knows how the good times roll on Tyneside after helping turn Newcastle from a Second Division side into European competitors. Speaking about the prospects ahead under Howe, Lee said: “There was probably more expectation [at Newcastle] when Bobby Robson came in after Ruud Gullit, but yes for me it compares to when Kevin Keegan was there.
“They put season tickets up for sale the other week and there were queues going all the way round St James’ Park trying to get them. I remember when I joined Newcastle, they were locking out 5,000, 10,000 people every week. They just seem to be very optimistic about the way the club is run, the manager they have got in, the players they’re buying, and it seems to be after 14 years of nothingness really that they are moving in the right direction.
