King Kev is back at Newcastle and straight away the goals pour in

• More Premier League news

Billionaire Ashley stunned Tyneside and the rest of football by unveiling the man Geordies call The Messiah as his first manager.

Even Michael Owen, who had previously been critical of Keegan, seemed inspired as he weighed in with the opening goal in Newcastle's FA Cup replay romp over Stoke City.

Scroll down for more

Keegan said: "It's my third time around. I was a player as well but I'm obviously delighted to be back. I'm back home."

The appointment had an immediate effect, with thousands queuing outside St James' Park and delaying last night's third-round tie by 15 minutes.

More are expected back at the ground today when Keegan is officially installed by Ashley and chairman Chris Mort.

Former Newcastle captain Shearer welcomed Keegan's appointment and said he would be happy to talk to him.

Shearer said: "They want entertainment, they want passion, they want commitment and they have not had that of late. The one thing you can guarantee with Kevin is you will get all those things.

"They will go forward and they will score goals, although they might concede a few. The big thing will be the entertainment. Everyone is excited up here, the city will be buzzing — and so it should be.

"I was a little bit surprised. I knew his name was in the hat but he had said that nothing would bring him back into the game.

"Newcastle have that power to do that. The club is in his heart, he wants to do so well for them. He failed to win a trophy the last time he was manager but you can bet your bottom dollar he would give it a right good go."

Shearer told Match of the Day he had offered to help and would be interested in meeting Keegan.

The club's leading goalscorer, signed for £15million by Keegan in 1996, added: "First and foremost I don't think they have had time to think about it the way things have gone.

"He is his own man he will make his own decisions. Yes, it is my club so if he was to ring me up I would certainly speak to him. That is not a yes or a no but I would speak to him. I would be foolish not to because I am sure he will get the place rocking.

"I don't see myself as a No2. I was never really a serious possibility because they wanted a manager with experience. It remains an ambition to manage them some day but when that will be, I don't know.

"It will be exciting. I hope he does well because I am a fan at the end of the day."

Former Newcastle winger David Ginola, who played under Keegan in 1996, said: "I cannot quite believe it but it is exciting for me and the people in the North East. He was a good guy and the right man for the job."

Keegan inherits a top-heavy coaching and medical staff from Sam Allardyce and, in Nigel Pearson and Steve Round, takes on two of the most respected young English coaches in the game, who have both worked with the England set-up recently.

Terry McDermott, who was Keegan's No2 in his previous reign, was taken back on to the coaching staff by Graeme Souness and kept his job under Glenn Roeder and Allardyce.

But Keegan is still likely to want his own men alongside him.

Arthur Cox and Derek Fazackerly have worked under Keegan previously, while Peter Beardsley is now an Academy coach and Sir Bobby Robson's former assistant John Carver, another Geordie, is out of work after leaving Luton yesterday.

Watch Kevin Keegan's famous rant - I will love it if we beat them!