Steve Round has recalled the moment he was informed he might be 'out of a job' at Newcastle United - just a few days after signing a contract to become the club's assistant.

Round has had spells working as a number two at Arsenal and Manchester United and with the England national team, but the 54-year-old has never forgotten the afternoon he got the call from Sam Allardyce to join 'a massive club' like Newcastle back in 2007. Or what happened a week later for that matter.

"I had a call off Sam," Round told No Tippy Tappy Football. "He said, 'I'm going into Newcastle. Will you come as my assistant?' So straight away I went, 'Yes. I will.'

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"I had heard a lot about Sam. I knew him really well and Newcastle are such a great club. There were a few things I had to do with the England side to make sure I could do dual roles, but Sam was happy with that.

"We carried on our holiday and I got a call about another week later and he asked, 'You've signed your contract, haven't you?' I went, 'I have.' He said, 'Good, it might be the shortest reign you've ever had.'

"I said, 'We've not even kicked a ball yet.' He went, 'They have just sold the club to Mike Ashley. I'm going to see him now. We might be out of a job.'"

Allardyce survived, but the former Newcastle boss was ultimately sacked a few months later. Round was tellingly kept on, and worked with successor Kevin Keegan, but the assistant left Newcastle in 2008 to become David Moyes' number two at Everton.

Round followed Moyes to Manchester United before stints at Derby County, Aston Villa and, most recently, Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.