Joe Kinnear walked before he was pushed last night after resigning as Newcastle United's director of football, it has been revealed.
The Mirror says the controversial figure jumped before being pushed by owner Mike Ashley, after the club failed to sign any players on permanent deals since he took charge.
Kinnear is the fall guy for a January transfer window in which Newcastle banked £20million from selling Yohan Cabaye, but could not launch a serious bid to sign top targets Clement Grenier or Remy Cabella.
The frustration within St James' Park at Kinnear's lack of qualifications for a role that he claimed gave him ultimate power over all footballing matters, filtered back to Ashley, and it is likely he played a part in his drinking pal's "resignation."
