I don't usually find myself springing to the defence of Newcastle United. Maybe it's the carefully manufactured 'best fans in the country' tag or the pointless big club / small club debate they generate, but I am generally on the side of those who revel in their sequence of calamities.

However, I am suddenly in the camp who wants to see a halting of their slide and this is due to the appointment of Joe Kinnear as temporary manager.

The widespread mocking of the former Wimbledon manager is misplaced and any sort of Newcastle renaissance under his stewardship would be a surprise to most observers; there is a consensus that the Magpies will slip into freefall and find themselves in a relegation battle, compounding the problems caused by boardroom uncertainty.

This dire vision of Newcastle's future is insulting to Kinnear, who is effectively written off as a man out of his depth and out of touch with modern football, given the job because no one else wanted it.

Those accusations have a ring of truth about them, but do not mean that the temporary boss is doomed to failure.

Newcastle will at the very least benefit from the effects of 'new manager syndrome' - the intangible factor that lifts players' performances regardless of tactical changes or team selection. Their weekend clash with out of sorts Everton might see them start as the team with more confidence.

Kinnear's no-nonsense skills are known to involve straight talking, good man management and an ability to inspire players. Geordie fans love those qualities in their bosses don't they?

As an outsider not engulfed by the depressive mood that predecessor Chris Hughton exhibited, Kinnear should get a better response from a team that has a nucleus of players that was performing satisfactorily for the unfairly-sacked Sam Allardyce.

Whilst backing Kinnear to stay on as permanent manager might not be the best football bet of the week, neither is Newcastle to be bottom of the table at the end of November, a market in which they are currently second favourites.