As we continue our look back at the Premiership 2007/08 season we pick five key games that define the up and down fortunes of the Toon Army:

DERBY COUNTY (a)

THIS is where it all started to go wrong for Sam Allardyce.

On a chilly Monday night at Pride Park, his Newcastle United side were deservedly beaten 1-0 by Derby County, who would end the season as the
Premier League's worst-ever team.

After a promising start to life under Allardyce, this game brought a five-match unbeaten run to an abrupt, and unexpected, end, and unfortunately for Allardyce, it was shown live on TV.

Kenny Miller's goal was enough to take all three points for Billy Davies's side, and of the 11 points Derby claimed this season, four came from Allardyce's Newcastle.

And that's a damning statistic.


READING (a)

SAM Allardyce set his stall out for Newcastle United's visit to the Madejski Stadium in his pre-match Press conference.

He boldy claimed he would be happy with a goalless draw, and while that would be a result the fans of his former club Bolton Wanderers may be happy with, it was not what Newcastle's supporters had expected to hear.

In the event, Reading won 2-1 thanks to goals from Dave Kitson and substitute Shane Long, with the visitors' cautious approach having seemingly given them all the encouragement they wanted.

United never got going, and the score flattered them.

However, the damage had already been done before a ball had been kicked.


STOKE CITY (h)

THIS was a game few Newcastle United fans were relishing.

Coming four days after a 6-0 thrashing at Old Trafford, Stoke City no doubt fancied their chances in this FA Cup third-round replay.

But that all changed the second it was revealed Kevin Keegan would succeed Sam Allardyce as Newcastle's manager.

The news put more than 10,000 on the gate, and St James's Park was buzzing by the time he took a seat in the directors' box a few minutes into the game.

Stoke were blown away 4-1 by United - managed by Nigel Pearson - and fans left the stadium believing they had seen a glimpse of what was to come, with Newcastle having gone back to the future with Keegan's appointment.


BIRMINGHAM CITY (a)

NEWCASTLE United were in freefall by mid-February, and a defeat to relegation rivals Birmingham City would have plunged them even closer to the drop zone.

Kevin Keegan, however, had one last throw of the dice - a rejigged 4-3-3 formation.

And for 45 minutes it didn't look good, as the home side bossed Keegan's men, and took a one-goal lead.

But the half-time interval was to prove a pivotal moment in Newcastle's season, as United looked a different side after the break, with Michael Owen making their superiority count with a precious equaliser.

The 1-1 draw was to prove a solid platform to build on, with the resulting seven-game unbeaten run keeping the club in the top flight.


TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (a)

YOU would have got long odds on a Newcastle United win at White Hart Lane before this game kicked off, let alone a 4-1 hammering.

Yet that's exactly what happened, as Kevin Keegan's side - which had claimed its first Premier League victory in 13 games the week before - rolled over Carling Cup winners Tottenham Hotspur.

They couldn't handle United's three-pronged attack of Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins, while the midfield gave the back four the kind of protection they had been craving all season.

Owen, Martins, Geremi and Nicky Butt all found the net, and the sight of home fans leaving in droves well before the final whistle told its own story.

Newcastle were back in business, and the performance had Keegan's name written all over it.