Newcastle reserve team manager Willie Donachie has resigned on the day the club launched an investigation into an allegation that he hit one of his players.
The Magpies confirmed on Thursday night that the 62-year-old former Scotland international had stepped down from his position.
A club statement said: “Newcastle United can confirm that Willie Donachie has resigned from his position as reserve team manager with immediate effect. The club will be making no further comment.”
The allegation surrounds an incident involving Donachie and 19-year-old defender Remie Streete after Monday night’s 2-0 Under-21s defeat at Sunderland.
Donachie spent more than four years at Newcastle, joining in December 2009 as an academy assistant director, moving to the role of development coach and, for the past two years, taking charges of the reserves.
Confirmation of his departure came as Newcastle attempted to regroup after an eventful fortnight which has seen midfielder Yohan Cabaye and director of football Joe Kinnear leave the club in vastly different circumstances either side of a 3-0 derby defeat to Sunderland in the Premier League.
News of the former Manchester City player’s exit came as senior team manager Alan Pardew prepared to sit down with owner Mike Ashley to plot the way forward.
The 52-year-old will send his depleted team into Premier League battle at Chelsea on Saturday after another tumultuous week on Tyneside.
The Magpies rarely do things by halves, but, even by their standards, they excelled themselves by selling the best player, Cabaye, without replacing him, losing 3-0 at home to the Black Cats and then witnessing the departure of controversial director of football Kinnear inside six turbulent days.
The transfer window debacle and the derby defeat proved simply too much to take for some fans, one of whom ran onto the pitch to confront Pardew, while others have signalled their intention not to renew season tickets.
However, asked what his message will be when he meets Ashley to discuss life after Kinnear, the manager said: “My message is always the same – it’s about taking the club forward.
“We can’t stand still. We have to go forward, so it gives us an opportunity to do that.
“Let’s be honest – it was an emotional game and the fan running on the pitch with a season ticket and all that, that’s what our fans are and they will never take that away from them.
“They are passionate, they love the club and the best thing I can try to do is get the best team I can out there to get results for them.
“I have no problem with that passion. It comes to the surface. There was a bit of frustration this week with season tickets going forward.
“But two years ago, we finished fifth; this year, we are eighth and we have done a brilliant job.
