It was not all that long time ago that Newcastle United had salt rubbed into their wounds following relegation, when Leyton Orient turned them over in a 6-1 drubbing at Brisbane Road. They were dark, dark days for the Toon Army, but it seems, under the guidance of Alan Pardew, that they can begin to dream again.
Although still improbable, even the fact that Newcastle are in the fight for a Champions League place is remarkable, given the utter disarray the club was in only a few seasons ago.
Yet, in hindsight, relegation was exactly what Newcastle needed. It forced the club, the players, and the fans to take a good hard look at themselves and realise that they were not invulnerable to the drop.
Chris Hughton must take a great deal of the plaudits for turning a rapidly sinking ship into a side capable of taking the championship by storm, and returning to the Premiership at the first attempt.
He managed to persuade a number of high-profile players to remain at the club, and steered the club to a dominant 102 points, all with a large measure of class and professionalism.
It seemed, therefore, a great injustice and an utterly confounding decision when then fiercely unpopular owner Mike Ashley gave Hughton the sack, and ushered in a man he allegedly met in a casino, and who was seen as having, if a tad harshly, a fairly mediocre record in management.
From the first game in charge, however, Pardew seemed empathetic, composed, and most importantly, successful, as Liverpool were put to the sword, losing 3-1 to an impressive Newcastle side.
And, despite a few moments of uncertainty, like the sale of free-scoring Andy Carroll, Pardew has never really looked back.
After the totally hapless management which led to their relegation, Pardew has, with the support of Ashley, headed a new set-up which has promoted sustainability and done away with the ludicrous spending and wage levels of the 2000s.
They have constructed a sensible and astute financial system, coupled with a top drawer scouting system, headed by chief scout Graham Carr.
Carroll’s sale was, at the time, seen by many of the Toon Army, including myself, as one step too far by Ashley, as it seemed just another move by the Londoner to pocket some more money, and fail to spend it on the players.
I must say, though, that I have never been so pleased to eat my words, as Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias have remained strict to their word, reinvesting nearly all of the £35 million they cashed in for Carroll.
With the money Liverpool spent buying a striker who has found the net just five times in 37 appearances, Pardew, with the financial backing of Ashley, has added Demba Ba, Papiss Demba Cisse, Hatem Ben Arfa, Cheik Tiote, Davide Santon, Yohan Cabaye and Sylvain Marveaux.
Carr and Pardew have recruited a largely Francophone contingent and it seems to have worked a charm as they have gained a group of highly talented individuals, for an almost inexplicably low price.
Imagine if any of Ba, Cisse, Ben Arfa or Cabaye were English – they would be fetching colossal sums of money.
How Yohan Cabaye, a league winner with Lille last year, was signed for a meagre 4.8 million, while still unproven Englishman Jordan Henderson was deemed worth around 20 million, is symptomatic of the hugely inflated sums paid for English players, and further, the veritable goldmine that the French and German leagues can provide for English clubs.
Pardew has moulded this impressive set of players into a fighting force capable of rubbing shoulders with the big boys. The three prong attack of Ba, Cisse and Ben Arfa looks to be a threat for any side, and Cisse in particular looks as though he could give his number nine shirt the respect it deserves.
And if you want evidence for Champions League pedigree, just take a look at that Ben Arfa goal against Bolton on Monday. The first touch was sublime, spinning past the midfielder like he wasn’t even there, and he ate up the rest of the pitch, dinking it past Bogdan with consummate composure.
For such a passionate set of fans as the Geordie nation, the resurgence that Pardew has facilitated with such panache means the world, and such powerful support can only push the team further.
Not since the Sir Bobby Robson times have we even thought about Champions League football, but Pardew has quietly brought together a team of strong spirit, teamed with exciting skill levels, that has been able to ruffle the feathers of Premier League heavyweights.
“We are enjoying our football. It’s a bit of fun for us at the minute, this Champions League stuff,” said Pardew after the Bolton game.
And that’s what he, with the help of predecessor Hughton, has brought back to the club: a sense of fun, flair and excitement that has been sorely missing of late.
Although it is imperative to keep our feet on the ground, as we have seen starkly the results of over-inflated expectations, perhaps Pardew has created a team that can exorcise the demons of that dark day at Brisbane Road, and begin dreaming of recreating that night we welcomed Barcelona to St James’ Park in 1997, and sent them home nursing a 2-3 loss.