Legendary Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has paid tribute to Eddie Howe for rebuilding the emotional bond between the club and its fanbase.
Keegan helped to galvanise Newcastle as both a player and manager on Tyneside, taking his team agonisingly close to the Premier League title when they lost out to Manchester United in 1996.
Howe delivered the silverware Keegan couldn't when Newcastle won the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool this year, and has guided the club back into Europe on a wave of optimism.
Ahead of the first Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland in the Premier League for almost a decade this weekend, Keegan said: 'I was absolutely delighted for Eddie because he's not just a good coach, he understands the identity and emotional heartbeat of Newcastle – something many managers before him struggled with.