Having never been relegated from the Premier League before Mike Ashley bought the club in 2007, Newcastle United now seem destined to suffer their second relegation in nine years.

While that is a damning indictment of the mistakes Ashley has made, the poor appointments and misguided recruitment, comfort will be taken from the fact the club have seen it all before: yes, going down in 2009 was a shocking humiliation but the club were back among the elite a season later as a team forged in turmoil, rallied, regrouped and cruised to the Championship title with 102 points.