Pod On The Tyne: an independent NUFC podcast

That was the season that was, bloody miserable. Newcastle rounded off their Premier League campaign in the fashion that has become depressingly routine most of this term: toothless, feckless, listless... maybe even witless. Bruno Guimaraes's recent return to the team brought some direction and purpose, but even he had an off-day in his last appearance before the World Cup. There's work to do to get this ship back on course.

We all love a stadium update; twice a year there's some sort of contractual shenanigans with ten square feet of concrete being transferred from one shell company to another. Is it any different this time? The long answer is, we don't know, but there is a long (albeit not overly complicated) explanation of why the purchase of a large portion of Leazes Terrace and rumours of external investment may be a little more interesting(asterix) than usual. On the football front, we will end the Premier League season with a game at Fulham (as always). Sadly, Europe isn't on the cards, but there may be one or two intriguing sideshows with Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar said to be heading for pastures new. (asterix)opinions will vary

It's the last home game of the season and relegation contenders West Ham serve as the opposition in a game with very little riding on it for Newcastle. Hopes of European qualification are real, but miniscule, and with Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth departing the club this was a chance to say thanks to them before looking to the future.

Eddie Howe's starting team at Nottingham Forest featured the return of Nick Woltemade in a no. 10-ish role and Lewis Hall at right-back. Has the head coach decided to try out a few ideas and, if so, how much can we read into them? Dan Burn has been talking to George about a new venture in Newcastle's public parks; we get the lowdown on that with an extended interview available to Extra Tyne subscribers later this week (find out more at podonthetyne.supportingcast.fm). Two more local heroes to acknowledge as well. Congratulations and a hearty salute to Charlotte Potts as she retires from football, plus news of a job-change for Shola Ameobi.

When the season officially comes to a close, it will be a blessed relief. Newcastle's ability to throw away winning positions means they are never safe and it's exhausting. This time it was Elliot Anderson who arrived late and forced the ball home with the sort of drive and belief that is testament to his qualities and highlights the frailties of his former team.

It's been 84 years, but Newcastle United finally won a game in the Premier League. Previously in-form Brighton were seen off by Eddie Howe's 'trusted' lieutenants with Bruno bringing back his much-missed drive and passion. It won't mean much, though, if we just go on to lose the remaining three league games so how can Eddie Howe and his squad build on that result? Will Will Osula start up front again? He's found added self-confidence (if that's possible) since his Man Utd winner and plays the right way for this team. Maybe Forest's European exploits on Thursday night will prove crucial?

It wasn't pretty, it wasn't fun, it wasn't three hours long (but it sure felt like it). Newcastle United took a two-goal lead into the second half against Brighton and emerged with the same margin. Will Osula and Dan Burn were part of a "troll-ish" starting eleven from Eddie Howe but both scored in the first 45 for a deserved advantage. At half-time, nobody was expecting a smooth route to victory and when Jack Hinshelwood reduced the Gulls' deficit many feared the worst. But, in a frantic closing spell Harvey Barnes succeeded where Yoane Wissa and Yankuba Minteh had failed but hitting the target. Aaaaaaaannnd, breathe.

As Newcastle's executives prepare to report to a delegation of the majority owners we're primarily concerned about coming up with tabloid-style puns. Foremost among the departments presenting to Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, you may think, will be the coaching, talent identification, and transfer sections. Squad building conducted last summer continues to have a significant effect on the pitch. No more so than in attack. Big money was spent on Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade and, while the german has ten goals, neither has settled in. So much so, that young forward Will Osula has taken the centre-forward starting spot. Will he keep it for the crucial visit of Brighton? Thanks to The Athletic's German Football Correspondent Seb Stafford-Bloor for his contributions this week and love from us all to Chris and the whole Waugh family. To donate to the Tiny Lives charity for Chris's running challenge, please click here.

Please enjoy this Extra Tyne episode with our compliments; we hope you will support the great work of everyone at The Alan Shearer centre. For more information, go to https://www.alanshearerfoundation.org.uk/. George Caulkin has been training to run the London Marathon on behalf of The Alan Shearer Foundation. To find out more, he recruited the man himself as a personal tour guide before sitting down to reflect on 20 years of work and what Alan would like to achieve next.

Eddie Howe's rather dramatic team selection brought about a lively start from Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium (what might we be saying had Will Osula buried his opportunity in the first minute?!). But, ultimately, this was another defeat. No shame in losing to a team locked in a title fight, you might think, but Arsenal were up against themselves as much as Bruno & co. Bruno brought quality, purpose, and drive back into the midfield. With four games left to stave off the (still quite remote) relegation worries, we'll need a more tangible improvement next time out.

Newcastle United's Premier League form has nosedived; actually, it's worse than that, it has come to an abrupt halt, set itself alight, all the wheels have fallen off, and it's sitting in the middle of the runway covered in soot. The situation feels impossible, the damage irrepairable; but is it? We break the club up into three areas of investigation; the ownership, the manager, and the team. Then we try to decide whether each of them can be fixed or needs replacing. With a trip to Arsenal this weekend something will have to change pretty sharp-ish or Saka-absence, nervous Emirates, sudden unexpected heat-death of the Universe, there's nothing that can save us from a serious beating.

We've already asked for reactions, resets; we've asked about the manager, the players, the executives. We've asked "where do we go from here?", and "is Europe still do-able". Today, we asked "can Newcastle be relegated?"... St James's Park may have reached resignation levels with this team in its current incarnation. The problem is, there are five games to go.

Defeat at Crystal Palace, particularly the nature of it and especially the closing half hour, have left us in no doubt that significant changes are needed and it seems they are on the way. But, what will those changes look like? We consider the options. The Bournemouth game now carries weight; not only as one Howe's team must win to regain any momentum in their pursuit of European football. There is added spice with news that opposition manager Andoni Iraola, an appealing prospect to many fans, has decided to leave the Cherries this summer. Les Ferdinand will be forever remembered as the free-scoring spearhead of Kevin Keegan's doomed title bid in 1995/96. Remarkably, he is also one of the first eleven black players to represent the club. Those players will be celebrated by Wor Flags as part of a Show Racism the Red Card event at the Bournemouth game this Saturday. His feelings on the display are, understandably, conflicted.

What kind of blurb do you want here? Newcastle had three weeks off; loads of the internationals had a rest, one or two good players returned from injury, and the squad had plenty of time on the training pitch... ...and then the same thing happened. Time to worry.

Three weeks without a Premier League fixture may have been a little excessive but we're fully refreshed, hydrated, and ready to resume hostilities at *check notes* Selhurst Park *groan*. Kieran Trippier is now in the closing stages of his time as a Newcastle player having announced his departure at the end of his current deal, this summer. What an impact he has had in his time with us! Unfortunately, The Lasses(TM) are facing up to another season in WSL2 after a draw at home to Nottingham Forest left their promotion hopes hanging by a thread.

Newcastle’s financial results were published on Monday with a press briefing held at St James’s Park held by CEO David Hopkinson and CFO Simon Capper. The headline story was the transfer of the leasehold of the ground; have NUFC joined the creative accounting collective? Whenever senior club officials speak to the press footballing matters dominate the questioning and, after a terrible week on the pitch, this time was no different. We consider some of David Hopkinson’s answers, not least his response on Eddie Howe. Newcastle’s Under 15s won a Premier League tournament over the weekend; the Academy’s Head of Football Development, Mark Atkinson, tells us about what that means, and we check in on a frustrating day for TheLasses™.

That wasn't the week that was in the script. Two huge games, two miserable collapses, several thousand angry geordies. Will Eddie Howe carry the can for those performances? For the first time in his Newcastle career, there are real concerns about whether he can take the team forward with a squad that lacks the drive, nous, and unity that have been hallmarks of his tenure. Or, will he finally be given the significant overhaul of playing staff that feels long overdue. European qualification would be a positive step forward, but it feels a distant hope. Elsewhere, TheLasses(TM) came away with a point in a drab contest with promotion rivals Crystal Palace. Peter Ramage tells us how much he's been enjoying his time working with the team.

A friendly set of Premier League results on Saturday had presented NUFC with an opportunity to get themselves back into the Champions League picture and we all know what that means this season. After a positive start, Howe's men proceeded to stink out St James's Park, particularly in a second-half that horrified even the most ardent context-hunters. Did anyone in black and white emerge with credit? It's going to be a loooong three weeks until the next league game.

Newcastle United emerged from the Camp Nou dressing rooms a goal behind in the Champions League last 16; twenty minutes later their hopes were shattered, with shards strewn amongst a debris of defensive calamities. What could have been Eddie Howe's greatest ever managerial achievement will be remembered as an evening of embarrassment. There's only one way to redeem that, along with a sterile performance at the Stadium of Light in December, and that's a derby win at the weekend; ideally in some style. Different story for TheLasses(TM) who vanquished Birmingham City to boost their promotion hopes with Crystal Palace next. And Chris has an Academy update as Robbie Stockdale is named full time manager of the U21s.

Usually, when you win at a ground for the first time in a decade (second time in four decades!), you'd be thinking limbs, cans, maybe even can cans. Newcastle's away end certainly enjoyed today's victory at Stamford Bridge, but there was no great spectacle or sense of an event. Reporting from Fulham Broadway, Chris Waugh is joined by a competition winner to recap a job well done, even if we're all thinking about Barcelona already.