But, after days of speculation, and Keegan now officially stood down, speculation has turned to who will replace him.

The person widely believed to be the root cause of Keegan's rift with the Magpies board, executive director Dennis Wise, is naturally one of the early frontrunners in the betting, at odds of 6/1 with Betfred.

However, the diminutive ex-Chelsea midfielder is not the market leader at this stage.

His former Blues and Leeds United colleague Gus Poyet – assistant manager at Spurs – has captured punters' imagination enough for him to warrant 4/1 favouritism with Betdaq.

Poyet is far shorter in places, but Betdirect chalk him up at 5/1 having decided that they believe the man most likely to step into the breech will be none other than Alan Shearer.

The appointment of the former United striker would be a popular choice among supporters and would go some way towards appeasing an incensed Toon Army, but Shearer has intimated he wouldn't take the job, and so remains around the 5/1 mark in most places.

Elsewhere, Gerard Houllier was touted as a potential candidate earlier in the week, but the former Liverpool manager has drifted from 16/1 to 20/1 at bet365.

Fellow Frenchman Didier Deschamps has attracted cash however, starting out at 14/1 with Coral, but now trading at 7s (Betfred), and former Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard, initially installed in Blue Square's betting at around 12/1, has drifted out to 16/1 with Betdirect.

One man who has been well backed seems to be David Moyes.

The Everton boss has yet to sign a new contract at Goodison Park, and this meant that initial quotes, of around 25/1, were snapped up immediately leaving the Scot at 8/1 with Betfred and Coral.

Meanwhile, Alan Curbishley, having left Upton Park, is a 16/1 chance at Betfred, but as he resigned for much the same reason as Keegan, it is unlikely he would wish to take a job with similar conditions.

A better bet at that price then would appear to be Italian Roberto Mancini (16/1, Betdaq), though it's Wise, Poyet and Shearer who are the subject of the bulk of current speculation.

Odds supplied by www.betrescue.com

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