Steve Wraith said: "I'm devastated. The week started badly with Mike Ashley taking the club back 20 years by necking a pint in the away end at the Emirates, and got worse when we signed just two players on deadline day, neither of which we'd heard of.

"With a few injuries this season, we could be facing a relegation battle, and we could go down quicker than Mike Ashley's pint.

"It's not a shock. In the Chelsea game at the end of last season, we were outplayed and outclassed. Keegan gave an honest and genuine account. He knew we were a million miles away from competing with Chelsea.

"He was right - he was just speaking the truth. That's his job, but he was summoned to London, and the cracks started to show.

"Hardly anyone came in to bolster an already weak squad, and then there was the unexpected sale of James Milner, who was man of the match against Coventry.

"Keegan had talked of a full England cap for Milner, but he was left with egg on his face.

"I thought they'd spend the £12m, but they brought in two unknowns, neither of which he knew about.

"Then there were the rumours that Michael Owen and Joey Barton would be sold. He put his professional reputation on the line by backing Barton. He was prepared to give him a chance.

"I'm 36 years old, and I've seen it all before. It's the same old, same old.

"I don't particularly think Mike Ashley cares. He's not a fan.

"The biggest problem we've got is the media must report the facts, and how can they do that if they're not given information by the club?

"The club isn't helping the media to get their message across to the fans. The club waited until Tuesday evening to release a statement.

"We thought when the previous regime was shipped out, things would change, but it's still the same mess."