Chris Hughton named permanent boss

Oct 28 2009 by Steve Brown, The Journal

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NEWCASTLE United last night named Chris Hughton permanent manager – and announced owner Mike Ashley had taken the club off the market.

Hughton (has been given charge of the Championship side until the end of the 2010-11 season and handed a transfer kitty of £20m to help get the club promoted back to the Premier League.

He said: “It is a very proud day for me to be named as the manager of this magnificent football club.”

Ashley paid a rare midweek visit to the Magpies’ Benton training ground yesterday before announcing that he has given up trying to sell the club for the time being.

The Newcastle owner admitted recently that he aimed to reward Hughton’s impressive handling of the caretaker role with a permanent position and was spotted arriving at Newcastle’s training complex by helicopter yesterday.

However, while the move fortifies Hughton’s position – along with assistant Colin Calderwood, who this week turned down the opportunity to manage Tranmere Rovers – United’s defensive ranks continue to look much less stable.

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