Newcastle's brave and bold transfer strategy is crying out for experienced touch

Howe has always been acutely aware of Keegan's soaring stature and has held up the Entertainers as the ideal way to play the game. Front foot, exciting, and inspiring.

It was therefore appropriate that amid Kevin mania Howe should make a much-needed breakthrough in the transfer market, given that was the great strength of Keegan. Kevin had a terrific eye, was brave and bold in doing deals, and Ross Wilsonreaped a monumental reward.

However Howe, after likewise rocking the football world with magical signings upon arriving here, had hit the buffers over the last two summer transfer windows. United dithered, panicked and failed to close out the deals they wanted, suffering public embarrassment with clubs regularly picking them off.

Howe and sporting director Peter Beardsley desperately needed to hit the pedal again and did so with the breakthrough signing of Monaco's defensive midfielder Aladji Bamba. At 20 years of age and £34m he perfectly fits the criteria now adopted by the club . . . young and within a £40m ceiling.

Get Chronicle Premium now for just £1 HERE – exclusive news and features, our NUFC and Academy notebooks, John Gibson's columns plus an ad-lite experience

Wor Kev would have approved of being decisive rather than dithering. However perhaps not the obsessive youth policy. Still Eddie and Ross better keep the Keegan bug and go again. And again. Enough is plenty.

Keegan hoovered up front-foot players by the shedload, never hesitating in his decision making and using his charisma to convince them to come. He even persuaded Rob Lee that Newcastle was closer to London than Middlesbrough!

And, no, it's a myth to believe that Special K signed ready-made superstars and managed it because Sir John Hall coughed up the cash which was not restricted by football authority in his days.

Certainly the latter is true - Hall readily released the readies all the way up to a world record £15m for Alan Shearer - but this wasn't just money talking or made possible because United had the help of playing in Europe. The super signings began in the Second Division for goodness sake.

Think too of who arrived and where from. Killer Kilcline was one of the first and, KK always maintained, the most crucial in steadying a floundering ship. He came from Oldham Athletic for £250,000.

Then we had the likes of Kevin Sheedy, a free transfer from Everton; John Beresford out of Portsmouth who had just failed a medical at Liverpool; Paul Bracewell from Sunderland, another with a dodgy medical history who consequently wouldn't have been considered by some clubs; Rob Lee who had spent all his life with Charlton Athletic; Andy Cole, a kid from Bristol City jettisoned by Arsenal; an ageing Bruno at 32 allowed to go by Everton; Norwich City winger Ruel Fox; and Philippe Albert, never out of Belgium.

Terry McDermott, Keegan's right-hand man who was much more than the 'gofer' by which he was affectionately known in some quarters, summed up KK's style saying: "Kevin always made up his mind quickly about someone - I remember once when we went up to Scotland to watch a player and he turned to me as the guy ran out the tunnel and said 'he's no good to us'. The fella hadn't even kicked a ball. It was all to do with his shape and the way he moved. What's more, Kevin was right - he wasn't worth signing."

Howe is a great admirer of Kevin who he had met and like him Eddie started off with a string of quality signings at SJP. The likes of Kieran Trippier, Lewis Miley,, Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak, Sven Botman, Sandro Tonali and Dan Burn rocked up in Keegan time ie quickly.

However suddenly we got it spectacularly wrong last summer, dramatically changed tack, and have laboured somewhat this close season as well.

Letting three top-notch international players leave and replacing them with three 20-year-olds and an 18-year-old is a monumental gamble. Maybe they have bristling potential but can they make an immediate impression in the hardest league in the world having stepped up from continental football? It is a big ask. I wish them well.

The likelihood is that Howe will look to introduce them gently which means we have strengthened the squad but weakened the team. Lewis Miley, just as young but battle hardened, will need to be the one to control our midfield shorn of Tonali, but hopefully not Bruno. Harvey Barnes can provide Bazoumana Toure with some breathing space if required.

Keegan had the finest eye for talent I've ever known along with Joe Harvey who bought the likes of SuperMac at 21, Terry Hibbitt from Leeds reserves, Terry McDemott at Bury, Tony Green Blackpool, Wyn Davies Bolton, and Willie McFaul from Linfield in Northern Ireland.

While we mourn the passing of KK my thoughts also turn to Terry Mac and his family. Keegan and McDermott were the very essence of the Entertainers and now the fight is on for Terry against increasing and overpowering dementia.

That Eddie Howe and Ross Wilson can match Keegan and Harvey is our fervent hope as NUFC followers. The jury is very much out.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.