LONDON: Newcastle United hit back on Saturday at Kevin Keegan’s criticism of the club following his shock resignation as manager this week.

Keegan, who quit on Thursday less than eight months after returning for a second stint as manager, said he had left because he did not have control over the Premier League club’s transfer policy. Fans have called for owner Mike Ashley and director of football Dennis Wise to resign but a hard-hitting statement on the club’s website Newcastle said they had been given a mis-leading impression.

The statement also listed several other “facts” that it said were known to Keegan when he returned to the club in ablaze of publicity and said Keegan had agreed at the time not to deal with the media in relation to transfer dealings.

As the apparent bitterness between Keegan and the club’s hierarchy intensified, Keegan issued a response to Newcastle’s claims through the League Managers Association (LMA) who have offered him their support through the saga. “At the time at which I joined Newcastle United Football Club it was made very clear to me that I would have the final say on player movement in and out of the club,” Keegan said.