Stephen Carr knows all about upheaval and management change. Four games after moving to Newcastle to play under Sir Bobby Robson, the great man was gone, brutally sacked by Freddie Shepherd.

It was the start of a management upheaval which saw Carr work for four further permanent bosses - Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce and Kevin Keegan. By this point, however, the Irishman was used to it. His 10 years at Tottenham Hotspur had seen five bosses come and go since Ossie Ardiles handed him his debut.

It's fair to say that Carr knows what he's talking about when it comes to managers and the stress they are under. At his old club, Eddie Howe is starting to feel that strain but Carr couldn't be clearer on the job the Magpies chief is doing.

"I will always speak up for Eddie Howe," Carr said in an exclusive chat. "What he’s done at Newcastle is phenomenal.

"I know fans pay a lot of money, pay for their season tickets, ring the families and kids and if they don’t get results then the manager...