The club spoke out after days of speculation over Keegan's reasons for ending his eight-month spell in charge at St James' Park earlier this week, citing the part the board played in the Magpies' summer transfer dealings.

The statement said: "NUFC wished, at all times, to keep any dispute that it had with Kevin Keegan private.

"It is therefore disappointing that information has reached the media through unnamed sources and a briefing has been given by the League Managers Association that could give rise to a misleading impression amongst the club's fans.

"Newcastle United have no desire to engage in a war of words, but inaccurate reporting of factual matters and inaccurate allegations have to be corrected.

"It is a fact that Kevin Keegan, on appointment on January 16, 2008, agreed to report to a director of football and to the board.

"It is a fact that Kevin Keegan worked within that structure from January 16, 2008 until his resignation.

"It is a fact that Kevin Keegan, as manager, had specific duties in that he was responsible for the training, coaching, selection and motivation of the team.

"It is a fact that Kevin Keegan was allowed to manage his specific duties without any interference from any board member.

"It is a fact that Kevin Keegan agreed only to deal with the media in relation to club matters relating to the team and not to communicate with the media in relation to the acquisition or disposal of players.

"It is a fact that NUFC is a business and operates, like all businesses, with financial constraints.

"It is a fact that NUFC's financial constraints inform its transfer dealings.

"The board of NUFC have responsibility to ensure that the club is able to meet its commitments, which include the wages and the transfer fees for players.

"The structure at NUFC is clear, and has been clear from January 16, 2008."

The LMA played a central role in this week's drama after being called in, along with lawyers, by Keegan as he sought to clarify his position.

They have backed the 57-year-old over his claims that he was not allowed to do his job in the way he expected, with Dennis Wise operating in an executive director of football role which appeared to give Keegan little or no say over the club's recruitment policy.

LMA chairman Howard Wilkinson said: "If you are going to work in a football club, then the most prominent person in that club - certainly as far as the public is concerned, and you could argue as far as anyone is concerned - is the man called the manager or the guy who is responsible for the first team.

"So to create a position which is going to result in friction through lack of communication, through a failure to communicate what the role is etc, seems to be a recipe for disaster, particularly if you bring someone into that position between manager and board after you have appointed a manager."

Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, who would be a popular choice to succeed Keegan, insisted on Saturday there was no way he could take on the job with the current structure in place.

Shearer told the BBC's Football Focus: "I would like to be a manager at some stage in my career, but that means controlling the players that go in and the players that go out.

"I don't think I would be comfortable working within a structure with a director of football who was picking and choosing the players for me."

Former Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson also waded into the row, insisting "no manager worth his salt" would want to succeed Keegan unless there was a fundamental change to the club's management structure.

He wrote in his Mail On Sunday column: "You cannot imagine Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger or Rafa Benitez being handed players they did not know anything about. And no manager worth his salt is going to take the Newcastle job with the current set-up."