Newcastle sacked much-loved manager months after winning trophy to leave players furious
Chris Hughton’s tenure at Newcastle United is one of those bittersweet chapters in football where success on the pitch was not enough to guarantee job security.
Taking over in 2009 after the club’s relegation to the Championship, he stepped into the role initially on an interim basis. It wasn’t the first time Hughton had taken the reins temporarily—he had led the team briefly in 2008 following Kevin Keegan’s resignation, losing all four matches, and again in early 2009 with limited success.
But when Mike Ashley, unwilling to appoint a permanent manager amid ownership uncertainty, turned to Hughton once more for the start of the 2009/10 campaign, few expected the quiet, composed figure to inspire one of the club’s most memorable seasons.
Hughton’s start was nothing short of impressive. After an opening day draw away at West Brom, Newcastle stormed through the league with consecutive wins against Reading, Sheffield Wednesday, Crystal Palace, and Leicester.
The strong start earned him back-to-back Manager of the Month awards for August and September. By October, with Newcastle sitting atop the table, the club confirmed his appointment as full-time manager.
Even a brief dip in form, which saw defeats to Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe, didn’t derail the campaign. Newcastle lost just one more league match the rest of the season, away at Derby in February.
That year, the Magpies clinched promotion with six games to spare and secured the Championship title with a massive 102 points, delivering the club’s first piece of silverware in 16 years. Hughton’s reward?
The LMA Championship Manager of the Year award and widespread praise for his calm leadership. Yet, by the following December, he was out of a job. Despite notable results in the Premier League—most famously a 5-1 demolition of Sunderland and a rare away win at Arsenal—contract negotiations for an extension stalled.
The board showed little interest in long-term commitment. A poor run of five winless games culminated in a 3-1 defeat to West Brom, and that was enough for Newcastle to cut ties with the man who had restored their Premier League status.
The decision infuriated fans and puzzled players. Newcastle sat 11th in the table at the time, well above the relegation zone.
Sol Campbell, who had joined the club under Hughton that summer, openly criticized the move, saying the players were blindsided.
He described the decision as senseless, emphasizing Hughton’s achievements and the impact his departure would have on team morale. Campbell revealed that even as they left training that morning, no one had any clue the manager was about to be dismissed.
Newcastle appointed Alan Pardew as Hughton’s successor, and although the team eventually finished the season in 12th—only one position lower than when Hughton was sacked—it did little to ease frustrations.
Many supporters felt Mike Ashley had acted too harshly, prioritizing business interests or a different managerial profile over loyalty and on-field results.
Hughton himself remained dignified throughout, never airing grievances beyond acknowledging the abrupt nature of his exit. He recalled the brief meeting with managing director Derek Llambias, who offered only vague reasoning, stating the club “wanted to go in a different direction.”
Despite media speculation and broken contract talks earlier in the season, the sacking came as a shock, especially with the team performing to expectations in the top flight.
After his departure, Hughton took over at Birmingham City in June 2011, guiding them to the Championship playoffs. He then moved to Norwich City, managing them for nearly two seasons in the Premier League.
His most successful managerial stint followed at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he not only secured promotion to the Premier League but also earned the Premier League Manager of the Month award in February 2018.
Although Brighton dismissed him in 2019, he had cemented a reputation for steady, methodical leadership.
Subsequent roles with Nottingham Forest and Ghana’s national team added further layers to his career, but for many Newcastle fans, Hughton remains the man who brought silverware and dignity to a club in turmoil—and was rewarded with a dismissal that still stings years later.