4mins Mellberg, who had headed in a similar goal against West Brom the previous week, wasn't tracked properly by Aaron Hughes and the Swede had a free header from Solano's corner. 0-1

28mins Patrick Kluivert rolled Delaney and although he was being tugged to the ground, lashed an unstoppable shot into the net.. 1-1

36mins From a corner the ball ended up at the feet of Craig Bellamy wide on the right. His cross was a good one and Andy O'Brien flicked it on six yards out, the ball bouncing down and in off the far post. 2-1

Half time: Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 2

53mins Lee Bowyer miscontrolled allowing Samuel to cross. Given parried Barry's shot but Carlton Cole was able to bundle in the rebound with his chest. Cole's goal celebration is worth a second look - watch him try and place a smacker on the lips of his teammates.... 2-2

71mins Olivier Bernard had left the field for treatment. Kluivert then went down in the centre circle with Bernard still off the pitch. Laurent Robert still had the chance to put the ball out of play but belted it straight to McCann who played in Solano. Nobby swung in a superb cross that Barry headed past Shay Given. 2-3

82mins A rotten ball by Solano fell to Angel, his poor pass was blocked but he swung a leg at the rebound and the ball ballooned off O'Brien's leg over Given into the net. 2-4

Full time: Aston Villa 4 Newcastle 2

Sir Bobby said:

"I had to pick a team. Alan Shearer played on Wednesday for the full 90 minutes and last Saturday for the full 90 minutes.

''It's three matches in eight days. We needed to have a look at Patrick Kluivert, he's now just about ready to play.

"Alan's done very, very well for us. He looked a bit tired in my opinion on Wednesday as the game ended.

''Three days later I've decided to put him on the bench, if we need him for the last 20 minutes which as it happened we did, then I would use him.

"It seems to me that other managers can rest centre forwards but if I rest Alan Shearer it's all wrong. I have that fight on my hands, and I'll keep fighting."

Alan Shearer said:

"At any club with several strikers there is bound to be rotation - I understand that.'

"I thought Patrick Kluivert played well today."

If this was to be Bobby's swansong then the parallels with the end of the Gullit era were plentiful. Of course, the press had a field day with Alan Shearer being dropped but the beginning of the end of Ruud's tenure was a humiliating and public defeat at The Dell. The score that day? 4-2.

Until today Gullit had been the only Newcastle manager to know what a Premiership defeat at Villa Park tasted like. Keegan, McDermott & Cox, Dalglish and Bobby had all been undefeated on this ground in the league, although Bobby was in charge when the knee of Darius Vassell had knocked us out of the FA Cup back in January 2001.

And so we turned up at Villa Park, knowing that the glare of the media was upon us once more. News had filtered through that Shearer had been benched long before the announcement of teams in the ground. Unlike Ruud, Bobby had done it before - leaving Shearer out of the side that faced NAC Breda, and again out of the starting line-up for the Carling Cup tie against West Brom. On both occasions Bobby had claimed Shearer was "being rested".

Few could argue with the decision on purely footballing terms. Shearer had looked ineffective in the opening three games, scoring only once - from the penalty spot. Replacing him was Patrick Kluivert, one of Europe's proven goalscorers, who had only been given 16 minutes of Premiership football. This wasn't an obvious snub in the way Paul Robinson's inclusion had been by Gullit for a Tyne-Wear derby at St. James' Park.

However, it felt just as much like a last throw of the dice, a statement of intent from a manager under fire, a last attempt to show who was boss at Newcastle United Football Club. Kieron Dyer's exclusion from the 16-man squad was further proof. On a weekend when an England squad was to be announced, perhaps it was Bobby's only way to punish Dyer for his insubordination and the disgraceful performance against Norwich after Bobby had generously given him his favourite central midfield position.

The choice of Stephen Carr as captain seemed bizarre but as kick-off approached nothing seemed surprising as a feeling of bewilderment descended over the Newcastle end of the ground. The atmosphere was unreal to say the least. As Kluivert stood with Craig Bellamy in the centre circle I couldn't help but think that the Dutchman was wondering what he'd got himself mixed up in and how he could get back to Barcelona for a quieter life....

It's not an easy thing to admit but there was a small part of me that took some sort of masochistic pleasure in seeing Mellberg thump home a fourth minute header. Like when you're angry and frustrated it sometimes helps to multiply the feeling tenfold. You know that punching walls is going to cause your knuckles some severe grief but the release of anger doesn't half make you feel better.

The simplicity of the goal and the confirmation of our defensive frailties just intensified things. Mellberg, who had headed in a similar goal against West Brom the previous week, wasn't tracked properly by Aaron Hughes and the Swede had a free header from Solano's corner.

Bobby sat there impassively, his head on his hand motionless. It was like he was having his last rites read to him and he was resigned to his fate. Witnessing the demise was macabre but at the same time it seemed necessary. However, none of us were smirking in the stands in the same way that Kieron Dyer was, as the big screen clearly displayed.

But we still had 86 more minutes to endure. A team low on morale seemed unlikely to fight its way back but on a ridiculous afternoon that's exactly what they did. Jenas, Bellamy and Kluivert started to link up front with a pace and precision that was as good as anything we'd served up all season. JJ almost squared it for Bowyer and then headed one himself inches over, although he really should have scored. Given made a great save at the other end as the game, like the weather, warmed up.

And then Butt played in a hopeful looking ball to Kluivert, tightly marked by Delaney in the area. This was the sort of ball that Shearer thrives on - the sort where he could use his strength, shield the ball and possibly lay off to a team mate, or win a corner or even force a save. Kluivert couldn't do any of those things, though.... Instead, he rolled the defender and although he was being tugged to the ground, lashed an unstoppable shot into the net. Sheer class.

The phone call to the condemned prisoner had just come and on the other end was someone with good news.

Minutes later Kluivert almost bettered the effort with an even smarter turn and shot on the edge of the box. This time Sorensen produced a fine save to tip the ball over the bar. United were now playing with an intent and purpose that threatened to overrun the home side. From the corner the ball ended up at the feet of Bellamy wide on the right. His cross was a good one but when O'Brien - sent off here last season - flicked it on six yards out, someone hit the slow motion button and the ball bounced down and in off the far post. 

The black and white Gods who hadn't renewed their season ticket had suddenly come back to help out Bobby in his hour of need. Even Nobby Solano seemed to be giving his old adversary a vote of sympathy - crashing an unmissable volley against the bar with the goal at his mercy, Barry then whistling the rebound inches over.

The tide had turned and the drowning man had been saved.

It was all smiles at half-time. Belief had returned amongst the fans that we could go on and win this handsomely. Villa looked vulnerable and that ten month away win drought could be coming to an end. Even the half-time entertainment was noteworthy - Mr Woo putting on a genuinely breathtaking display of ball juggling.

But less than ten minutes after the restart, those who had bought chips at the break had them well and truly urinated on. Bobby's controversial signing, Lee Bowyer, miscontrolled allowing Samuel to cross. Given parried Barry's shot but Carlton Cole was able to bundle in the rebound with his chest.

The rollercoaster was back on its way down and the safety belt was coming loose.

Olivier Bernard fired a hopeful ball forward to Bellamy who had surprisingly beaten the offside trap. The scampering Welshman who had pulled his hamstring in a similar position last season, touched the ball past Sorensen who had misjudged his run from goal. The Danish keeper handled yards outside his box and ref Mike Riley trotted over to give the inevitable red card. To everyone's disbelief the card waved was yellow. Sorensen slinked back into his goal trying desperately hard not to kick his heels in joy at his good fortune. Of course, the keeper saved the resultant free-kick.

As we had predicted in our match preview Solano proved to be Bobby's nemesis - inflicting a double blow for Villa's third. A nasty challenge by the Peruvian on Bernard had seen the Frenchman go off for treatment. Kluivert then went down in the centre circle with Bernard still off the pitch. Robert still had the chance to put the ball out of play but belted it straight to McCann. Solano swung in a superb cross that Barry headed in.

Robbie Elliott replaced Bernard and minutes later Kluivert made way for Shearer with Shola Ameobi replacing Bowyer at the same time. Bellamy then went close with a header as we looked for an equaliser but then came the final nail in the coffin. A rotten ball by Solano fell to Angel, his poor pass was blocked but he swung a leg at the rebound and the ball ballooned off O'Brien's leg over Given into the net.

There was still time for Jenas to wander around in midfield, mis-hitting passes, looking like a little boy lost. Robert then produced a fantastic piece of skill down by the byline before tripping over his own feet and falling flat on his face. Two expensive Robson buys making a mockery of their transfer fees and the faith put in them by their manager.

Shay Given then became the second keeper lucky to avoid a red card. The poisonous Lee Hendrie tussled with Given but when our man hurled the Villa player to the ground a dismissal seemed likely. A yellow was lenient.

No doubt the final whistle would have been met by a chorus of boos at St. James' Park but a stunned silence was about all the travelling fans could muster. Shearer milked some applause as the teams left the pitch but clapping just seemed to be inappropriate for a such a mind-numbing series of events. Even Riley escaped the barrage of boos that he deserved as Newcastle fans shuffled their way out of the ground.

I was certain we'd seen the end of an era, the last joust from our white-haired Knight in shining armour. The ninety minutes had encapsulated the previous five years of Sir Bobby's reign: initial difficulties overcome, the promise of something magical but ultimately heartache and disappointment with the fates always seeming to conspire against us.

So who's next to take a swig from the poisoned chalice...? 

Niall MacKenzie

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