However, amid the wreckage of the Toongate scandal involving Keegan and the YouTube transfer farce, Kilcline has hailed the birth of fan power.
United ’s Supporters Trust has been officially launched in the last 48 hours with its principle aim to buy a stake in the club.
Having looked into the abyss, Kilcline declared: “That can be the way forward out of chaos because the fans have always been United ’s biggest asset by far.
“They are the most loyal and passionate supporters in the country.
“Who can say anything else when 52,000 packed St James’s Park every home game last season when United were relegated from the Premier League and more than 40,000 have turned up in the Championship? That’s mind-boggling.
“They have generated an awful lot of revenue for the club both at the gate and through buying merchandise down the years but have got nothing back in return. Now it could be their turn.
“ United currently have an owner who, by his own admission, doesn’t want them and they desperately need to clear up the shambles off the field if they are to make long-term and sustained progress.
“I’ve had the Trust documents and the financial plans sent out to me here in Portugal and they look very feasible.
“Perhaps it appears a dream for the Toon Army to own United but if they can create another monster like Barcelona it would be marvellous.”
Kilcline, recognised by Keegan as the man most responsible for steadying a shaky boat and avoiding the disaster of relegation so he could build the Entertainers, believes that progress can come out of chaos.
“I know it sounds a harsh thing to say, but relegation may turn out to be a blessing in disguise,” he told me. “I went over and watched Newcastle last season and there was a lot of dead meat. They needed to get rid of a lot of players with a bad attitude and they have.
“The squad may be dangerously thin but all the players seem to be pulling in the right direction and playing for one another, which is why Newcastle are top of the Championship.
“I’m convinced they will go up this season but that’s when things must be right off the park – in the boardroom and the manager’s office – because big decisions will have to be made.
“Kevin Keegan has gone on record as saying smashing things about me when we stayed up instead of dropping into the old Third Division and then won promotion the following season, but he was ruthless enough to then ditch me and others and buy better players to kick on in the Premiership.
“ United will have to do that again but have they the right people in high places to make the right decisions?”
Keegan was the catalyst not only for United ’s fans bonding together with a single defiant voice when he walked out, but the final downfall of a discredited Mike Ashley.
This was after it was revealed he allowed Dennis Wise to sign Ignacio Gonzalez over Keegan’s head with the isolated Newcastle boss told dismissively to check out the midfielder on YouTube if he wanted to watch him.
Kilcline laughs uproariously at the stupidity of handling his old boss is such an off-hand way.
“Kevin would never accept anything like that,” insisted Kilcline. “Anyone who knows him would know better than try it on.
“Dennis Wise isn’t living in the real world if he thought he could tell Keegan to watch a player on YouTube.
“Keegan checked everything out personally when he signed players in my day. It’s the only thing to do because a manager lives and dies by results and the players signed in his name.”
Kilcline may have reveled in his nickname Killer but Mike Ashley has become the killer of dreams and hope. Now, one way or another, his days may thankfully be numbered.
