Mike Ashley

Kevin Keegan and Mike Ashley had plenty to talk about when they met in the players’ bar at St James’ Park after Newcastle United lost to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Newcastle cannot stop losing, but a club spokesman denied last night that Keegan had refused to guarantee that his team would avoid relegation when he was put on the spot by the owner, who spent about £240 million buying the club and clearing their debts last summer.

According to reports on Tyneside, Ashley asked Keegan for assurances that Newcastle would be in the Barclays Premier League next season, but the manager said that he was not in a position to make such a promise, blaming a lack of confidence among senior players, the club’s failure to make any signings during the January transfer window and the difficult run-in to the end of the season.

“Mike always has a drink with the players and managers after the game and it sounds like someone has seen him talking to Kevin and jumped to the wrong conclusion,” a club spokesman said. “I cannot comment on what may or may not have been said in a private conversation.”

Whatever Keegan and Ashley talked about, it is difficult to believe that Newcastle’s terrible form was not at the top of the agenda. They have not won since he replaced Sam Allardyce in January and are only three points clear of the relegation zone after picking up three points from a possible 33 since their last victory, away to Fulham on December 15.

Chris Mort, the chairman, has insisted that Keegan has the board’s full support despite a dismal start to the former England manager’s second spell in charge, but under Keegan, Newcastle have drawn two and lost four league games and are nervously looking over their shoulders.

“He has come into a club where we changed the manager in the middle of the season because it wasn’t going well,” Mort said. “We were playing very poorly and results reflected that. Kevin came in knowing it was going to be a very difficult job to turn the club around, but that is something he is working on.

“He is capable of getting our team playing in a manner which everyone appreciates. Against Blackburn they played good football, created a number of chances, missed open goals. Kevin has got them playing very well. He will keep getting them playing in that style and results will follow.”