The vastly-experienced Kinnear has agreed to take temporary charge of first team affairs at St James' Park until the end of October.

Kinnear is best known in managerial terms for his highly successful spell in charge of Wimbledon during the 1990s.

In his seven years with the Dons they regularly upset the odds and finished in the top half of the Premier League and reached the semi-finals of both the FA and League cups.

great club

He said: "I am very excited about the challenge in front of me at Newcastle United.

"Results have not been great of late, but there is a lot of quality in the squad and I am very confident the players are capable of climbing the league table.

"Newcastle United is a great club. When I was in charge of Wimbledon I always remember the passion of the fans up there and how great a stadium St. James' Park is.

"It is a big challenge but one I am really looking forward to."

Kinnear spent the bulk of his playing career at Tottenham Hotspur as a full-back, winning the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and two League Cups. He was also capped 26 times by the Republic of Ireland. His most recent managerial job was with Nottingham Forest, leaving there in 2004.

Joe Kinnear Factfile

1946: Born in Dublin, December 27.

1965: Joins Tottenham from St Albans City. Wins the FA Cup once in 1967 and the League Cup twice in 1971 and 1973 in a 10-year spell at White Hart Lane.

1975: Joins Brighton and Hove Albion.

1977: Career is ended by a knee injury after winning 26 caps for Republic of Ireland. Has a five-year spell in Dubai managing Sharjah and Al-Shabab working with Dave Mackay. Also spends three months in charge of the Indian national team preparing for Asian World Cup and later returns to England to join Mackay at Doncaster Rovers. Becomes manager when Mackay leaves for Birmingham City, but is later replaced by Billy Bremner when new consortium takes charge of club.

1991: Offered the chance to join Wimbledon as reserve-team coach.

1992: Appointed manager of the Dons when club are bottom of league with 12 games to go. Wimbledon finish 13th and Kinnear is rewarded with a five-year contract.

1997: Takes Dons to the semi-finals of FA Cup and League Cup and to the brink of a UEFA Cup place.

1999: Rushed to hospital after suffering a mild heart attack while warming up on pitch at Hillsborough prior to Wimbledon's game at Sheffield Wednesday on March 3. He stands down as Dons boss three months later due to ill health and is replaced by Norwegian Egil Olsen.

2001: February 7 - Kinnear is confirmed as director of football at Luton Town.

2002: After being unable to keep Luton in League One, guides them to promotion from League Two at the first attempt.

2003: May 23 - Leaves Luton after helping them finish ninth in first season back in Division Two.

2004: February - Takes over as manager of Nottingham Forest on February 10 following the sacking of Paul Hart. Guides Forest to 14th in Division One in the league after a great run of form. Unbeaten in his first six games and undefeated in the final eight matches of the season, he guides the club to safety before resinging in December 2004 after a poor start to the following campaign.

2008: September 26 - Appointed as Newcastle interim manager until the end of October.