The early part of the close season is doing what it is supposed to do-- not much real news happening on the Newcastle United (or most clubs, for that matter) front, but names and rumors are growing at a seemingly exponential rate. It's fun to speculate, but I'm certain that resolution to any of the hanging situations (Cheik Tiote, Danny Simpson... even Romain Amalfitano) is going to be very slow in coming. In Amalfitano's case, you'd have thought we'd hear something very soon after the opening window as it was a "done deal" a long time ago... but such is the nature of the transfer windows.

In the news today- Cheik Tiote passes an English class, a new name linked with the Toon, Reserves Select team brings silverware back to Tyneside and more. Jump and read, my friends!

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A brilliant Friday to you all - a Friday before a huge weekend of season-ending fixtures. The Championship Playoff final will happen (1500 BST Saturday) and we will know if I get my ultimate wish to see Ian Holloway back in the Premier League (respect and sympathy for Chris Hughton who I would love to see back in the PL as well). The Champions League Final will occur (1945 BST Saturday), and as it no longer directly effects Newcastle United, John can sleep well knowing that his support for any team English will not end up destroying our own Champions League hopes (in fact, it would destroy Tottenham's CL hopes and perhaps remove them as a contender for certain of our players that have been rumored to be Spurs targets. Maybe this is not a bad thing.) Also on the weekend, an Edinburgh derby will be contested for the Scottish Cup (also 1500 BST Saturday), the first time since 1895/96 the two squads have met in the final of this particular competition. Plenty of excitement tomorrow - but that's all non-Newcastle.

Today's news- Davide Santon, Luuk de Jong rumors strengthen just a tad, James Tavernier offered new contract and Newcastle's summer tour plans look to be on the verge of being set. Take the jump and let's see what's going on!

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Right - so we're 3 days into the off season and we still have our squad intact (at least so far as we know). Don't fear though, Toon Fans, August 31 is a long long long way away and there is plenty of time for the repeating cycle that is Newcastle Fandom to repeat itself. In today's links, Demba Ba makes comments sure to warm the souls of the eternal optimists, Alan Smith scores in the League 1 play-offs then gets attacked, and Alan Pardew readjusts my expectations for the summer and we determine that we will never ever know what happened at the end of the Everton match.

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A tremendous season in the Premier League has wrapped up with Europa League qualification. As the close season starts, it's time, as supporters of interlopers in the Top 6, to gird ourselves for the headlines that have already started. If you were unaware, all of our players are leaving, we're never going to survive next year and so on and so forth. "Pardew Fears Toon Exodus" and other similarly doom-saying headlines will be the order of the days to come and every player on the squad would like to go play at a "big club". We are looking at bringing in some excellent players and have some excellent players in the wings. Time will tell how the Toon will deal with the increased fixture load, but for the time being, it's time to enjoy what the lads and Alan Pardew have achieved.

...

And that's about as much time as we'll get. After the jump - looking back and looking forward.

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The 2011-12 Premier League season began as one of very little expectation for Newcastle United. Most of those who were really paying attention didn't expect the Toon to be contending (let alone qualified) for Europe, nor did they feel that Newcastle would be caught up in the relegation scrap. The thought was that most likely would be a safe but not spectacular campaign. Over the course of 37 matches, however, this edition of the Magpies had encouraged the Toon Army to dream again. With that came elevated expectations for on-pitch performance which is why this last match of the season was all that much more disappointing.

In all honesty, the Toon have not lost many matches this season. When they have, the failings have been spectacular and it can't be said that the match with Everton did not buck that trend. With it all to play for (and early scores at least suggesting that a dream scenario might be possible), Newcastle came out and were played off the field by the Toffees. Fittingly, the first goal from Everton went in via Mike Williamson's backside fairly early and it was almost all downhill from there in the first 45 minutes. A 2-0 deficit heading into the locker room at halftime was about right, and to make it worse, a Yohan Cabaye shove of a ball boy mid-half typified the attitude that the lads were sporting. Embarassing play and shocking behavior.

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Through the course of the season and with particular note of the January transfer window, I have come to believe that Alan Pardew puts more truth out there through his quotes to media than perhaps the majority of Premier League managers. For my Saturday morning "link" offering, I have run across another piece from Alan Pardew that may filter out a number of the rumors out there (or keep some of the rumors breathing?).

Reestablishing what we know, AP has told us that if we qualify for Europe (check) we will be looking to bring in 4 or 5 players. We already know one of those players is Romain Amalfitano from Reims in the French second division. The remaining spots have been linked to players from Douglas of FC Twente, who has been a long time connection with the Toon, to Raul of Schalke 04, who is about as unlikely a purchase as is David Silva but for different reasons. We also know that if a certain level of ridiculous is met in offers for our better players, they will be shipped out. I think that although we as a community here at CHN would prefer not to, Cheik Tiote is probably on the short list of players most likely to be sold on. We also know that Danny Simpson has been told he can move on which creates a new hole on a back line that is our biggest question mark despite 15 clean sheets having been kept this year. Other players who have been linked away include Tim Krul, Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and even Papiss Cisse. Given the recent thinning of the ranks at the youth level in addition to other holes in the senior squad, it seems that unless someone offers Benign Ponytail money for Tim Krul, he's probably least likely on that list to be moved. Let's look at this interview from yesterday on BBC Sport and see if we can bring some small, small amount of clarity to the close season.

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Two days away from Everton and Newcastle are featuring in a lot of the discussion for "Survival Sunday"... but for all the right reasons this time. Newcastle are still in with a shout for Champions League qualification heading into their match at Goodison Park with 3rd and 4th place finishes both within the realm of possibility. Qualifying for Europe this season, Alan Pardew will remind us, has us at least a year ahead of the club's internal schedule, but now the stakes are measured in £... millions of them. With two losses in the run in at the end of the season we no longer control our own destiny, but if we win at Everton we'll have done all we can and the chips will fall where they may.

Today in the links, some Alan Pardew, some Hatem Ben Arfa, a little Peter Lovenkrands and some Nile Ranger (??! - remember him?). Jump!

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There are a number of lessons that we can all take from this life. One of them that I will share with you? Never start apartment searching on a Sunday, even if flight costs suggest that it might be a good idea. Trust me on this one. Also related to this, no matter how hard you try, you're not likely to make a match at 5:30 am when you don't make your hotel until nearly 1:00 am. Anyway (last I'll discuss on this), I and the OSotP Better Half have located and procured a place to stay and the next year of my life is going to be filled with a number of very very early mornings... but I'm fine with that.

At any rate, I didn't get to see the City match at all, but woke up enough to check in several times during the match... I was a little sad that we lost, but (as much as you can in sleep fog) felt fairly proud that we weren't rolled over... bad result on the day for the table, but maybe not so bad for the club. If only I'd reiterated my claim from the first match that Yaya Toure would be key man...

The links! I've got them now that I've recovered from yesterday's day of travel. Predictably, there are several interviews with former Toon players from their return for the Sir Bobby statue unveiling... those will always have a place. Ben Arfa for France, Danny Simpson does the completely unsurprising and more (plus one completely unrelated bonus link!). Jump and read.

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43 years and 360 days ago, a match was played at St. James' Park with nearly the same stakes on the line as there will be between Newcastle United and Manchester City on Sunday. On that day, the likes of Bob Moncur and manager Joe Harvey were unable to turn back City and the Citizens' second top-flight championship was assured by their 4-3 triumph at St. James' Park.

While Manchester City will walk into St. James' Park with another opportunity to all but clinch their third top flight championship (while nothing should ever be assumed, you would have to favor Manchester City very heavily over relegation threatened Queens Park Rangers) this Newcastle United squad have the added motivation of European placement to throw into the mix as well. By now, the race for the really guaranteed Champions League spot left available has been thrown wide open through Arsenal's 3-3 draw with Norwich City, leaving them only 2 points above both Tottenham and the Magpies. With the (notable) exception of Spurs, this squad improbably has direct control over their chances for Champions League qualification. It will take 6 points from their last two matches* (and Spurs to drop points somewhere in their last two matches against suddenly looking over their shoulder Aston Villa and Fulham). . . and it starts tomorrow.

There have been days in which there was absolutely no love lost between Newcastle and Manchester United. Although that hatred has softened a bit, perhaps, in sections of the support base, I do not think that there would be anyone with mixed feelings about throwing Sir Alex a lifeline for this year's Premier League title if it meant keeping Champions League football squarely in the hands of their beloved Toon. Let's take the jump and look at the task at hand.

*With Arsenal's slip up against Norwich, if Newcastle do take all 6 points remaining, they would finish no lower than 4th. If Chelsea then lose the CL final, we would be in.

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Newcastle United head into the weekend with Champions League aspirations firmly intact thanks to a 2-0 victory over Champions League finalists Chelsea midweek. Once again, it is a match in which both teams have everything to play for with City's victory over Manchester United putting them in the drivers seat for their first title in 44 years. The only way to ensure the title, however, is to take the full 6 points from their remaining 2 matches. It is another match that not many will be seeing Newcastle winning... but these situations have frequently brought out the best performances from the Toon this season, so the question becomes: Do we see "Proving the naysayers wrong" Newcastle or "Leaky sieve defense" Newcastle?

Still a couple of days yet before the match, so let's pass some more time with the stories of the day. After the jump, nearly a story regarding every starting XI player, a "scouting report" of Newcastle United by the Manchester Evening News and looking ahead just a tiny bit at questions that will face the Toon past the end of the season.

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I really contemplated just posting another video of Papiss' wondergoal as the links today, but I decided against it. I'm not going to lie... I've watched it easily a couple dozen times and it keeps getting better every time I see it. The analyst from the commentary team (I should remember his name, but I don't sadly) said after Cisse's second "Have you ever seen a better two goals from a striker in one match? I haven't." And that really has become the story of the match. As important as the fact that Newcastle's win yesterday basically ended Chelsea's hopes of Champions League qualification through league position is the fact that it kept the Toon level with Spurs in the quest for the same goal.

Can I also just say how vital Davide Santon's off the line clearance on Lampard's header was? Not only did he keep it from going in (although it may have actually just hit the post had Santon not intervened), but he cleared it far outside of the danger area. Easily could have turned into one of "those goals that Newcastle just give up", but he made sure it was not.

So- the links today after the jump- Cisse, Hatem Ben Arfa and France, Alan Shearer and how Bobby Robson might have felt about this season, Cheik Ismael Tiote: Warrior, and Roberto Mancini takes a dig at Manchester United through a somewhat odd route.

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If you were to say that you were expecting a Newcastle United loss at Stamford Bridge, nobody would likely have begrudged you much. If you were to say that on the heels of a 4-0 hiding at the hands of Wigan Athletic, you'd probably be in with the majority of people. It was the lads' task on this Wednesday to right the ship and re-establish themselves in the race for the Champions League.

Chelsea started brightly starting right away with their tactic of a steady diet of chips over our defensive line and very nearly saw the idea rewarded early on. It was the kind of early match performance that we've seen before and which usually indicates a match in which we never get our footing- but true to form this season, surprise was the order of the day. Footing was found, and Newcastle began moving the ball around comfortably and you could see the confidence growing in the squad.

"Regular service has been resumed" was the broadcast call following Papiss Cisse's 12th goal in his last 12 matches. We've seen him score the clinical as well as the inspired, and if possible, this one was both. From an on-floor cross from Davide Santon, Cisse popped the ball in the air with one foot and placed home with the other from 18 yards out. A deserved 1-0 lead was unlucky not to be 2 heading into the break as Demba Ba came ever so close to breaking his goal-scoring duck, crashing a header against the bar from a corner kick late in the half.

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I've registered already how fascinating the relegation scrap is going to be this year. I feel it may rival last year's excitement, and last year was as exciting on the last day as any in recent memory (need a reminder and have 15 minutes? Check this out.) Following the disappointing result @Wigan on Saturday, Newcastle sit level on points with Spurs, four points behind Arsenal and one point ahead of Chelsea. Oh, and while this battle for position in Europe is going on, Newcastle have a chance to spoil the party for Manchester City who are looking to win their first title in 44 years. The excitement is not over in positions 1 and 2 even though they are well clear of the battle for 3-6. Don't forget that Chelsea still have the little matters of the FA Cup and the Champions League final to tend to as well. One match at a time, though, yes?

Trying to guess strategy for a Premier League club facing what Chelsea has in front of them is about as easy as picking the lottery... but if it were me, I would concede the league and put all my eggs in the Champions League final... but it may not be that easy... particularly as they are sitting 1 point away from the Champions League cut off with the goal differential tie breaker over both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. Roberto Di Matteo is pushing hard for the permanent appointment to the hot seat at Stamford Bridge, so I'm just going to go ahead and assume maximum effort on all fronts (perhaps the FA Cup final is where they yield a little bit as it only assures Europa League football and they are already locked in for at least that as it stands?).

A little peek into the form table shows a little something that your average Toon fan at large is not going to enjoy seeing at all. Chelsea sit 4th in the form table (although Newcastle do sit on the top of the same) and they are playing some of their best football of the year at this point. After Chelsea for Newcastle? Manchester City (3rd in the form table) and Everton (2nd in the form table). I can think of more ideal schedules for the run in, especially with that carrot of the Champions League dangling so tantalizingly close. Again, though... one match at a time. I know I get irritated at they hyperbole that managers and press use at the end of the season sometimes... but I think that it's not a stretch to say that Newcastle truly are facing 3 cup finals to end this season (at least so far as any Champions League hopes are concerned). 5 points after the jump!

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It is the stretch run of the season and the matches (thanks to a reschedule of the Chelsea match) are coming hot and thick. The weekend's results (as well as City's victory over Manchester United) have ensured that the final three matches will be every bit as interesting at the top of the table as it will be at the bottom of the table. Regardless how it ends up, it is going to be wildly entertaining to watch both ends of the tables as the season wraps up.

The Chelsea match is tomorrow and there is previewing to be done, so I'll jump into today's news. Today: Alan Pardew, the gates of St. James' Park, Alan Pardew, Gaby Obertan, transfer rumors and the silly season starting early.

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Newcastle United don't always lose but when they do they do it spectacularly. I have to confess that I was not able to watch the entire match... was in and out for the first half and didn't see any of the second. The perpetual challenge of being a sports fan is trying to find the middle ground between extreme optimism and extreme pessimism. There are surely people that live in that gray area, but I would propose that they are few and lucky. I think that if we're being reasonable we can concede that we may not have been as great as a 6-match win streak would have indicated, and we're nowhere near as bad as we performed on Saturday. In the preview I stated that good things sometimes come to an end... I figured it would just be our scoreless streak (which did end)... but I never dreamed it would be our focus and intensity that would suffer a rather graphic death.

The beauty of sport is that in truth, one match has nearly no direct influence on any other one match, and we as a club are going to have to wall the Wigan match off and place our eyes firmly on Stamford Bridge. On the day, we lost three points (and perhaps more importantly goal differential), but we still have every opportunity in front of us. News happens after the jump!

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Newcastle United have locked up European football for the 2012-13 season, but are looking to make that football Champions League football. Sitting in fourth place in the table with a game in hand versus 3rd place Arsenal, the rallying cry is to capture third to make sure that Chelsea have no influence on our qualification for Europe's premier competition. Belief is running rampant and spirits are high among the squad and the fans. For most, they will be the favorites in this match, coming in on a run of 6 victories with a striker who just can't stop scoring and looking as dangerous as they have all season.

Wigan Athletic have been here before. In fact, they have rather become the Harry Houdini of the Premier League, escaping relegation on the last day of the season in the 2010-11 edition of the Premier League and a handful of years earlier escaping by one. single. goal. on goal difference. They are at it again this season, having recently been firmly within the drop zone and looking as likely as Wolves to go down.. then they yet again found some of that late season magic. Four wins in their last six including 3 points taken from Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal have them sitting one point above the drop (as well as third in the form table) with a six-pointer v. Blackburn still to play. Are they the easy pickings that the league table might indicate? Up to their loss to Wigan last weekend, they too were among the hottest teams in the Premier League.

Both clubs have serious need for the three points on offer in this match. . . who will grab them?

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Is it Saturday yet? I don't know if it's a change in my searching techniques or some other variable, but the links have been massive this week, and today is no different. Seeing as they are so massive today, I even tried to be especially brief in my comments... and it's still rather long, so I'm not going to waste a lot of words here at the top.

In The Links today: Alan Smith, a grudge match this weekend, Hatem Ben Arfa, Alan Smith, praise of the fans and more. Jump and read!

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The assignments for this weekend's Premier League fixtures have been announced, and Mike Dean will be the man in charge when the Newcastle United v. Wigan Athletic match kicks off this Saturday. Mike Dean is the second-most assigned referee in Premier League this year behind Howard Webb (these numbers also include European and lower-league assignments which account for 7 of Dean's 39 assignments and 10 of Howard Webb's 44) and has been the centre for 3 previous Newcastle United matches this season. Let's take a look at his numbers after the jump.

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It is interesting to me that, almost invariably, the week after a two-week break before a match seems to drag on forever while the second week of the break just rushes by at breakneck pace. If you can't tell, I'm ready for it to be Saturday. We do still have two weekdays to complete before we can get to the match, however, so I'll quit bellyaching and try to do something constructive.

Today in The Links, a clip of a Papiss Cisse interview with Sky Tyne and Wear, Pardew talking about the defense, a really funny/awesome parody picture from Paddy Power and more. Jump and read!

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I had this terrible dream last night that Newcastle United had done everything they possibly could, finishing fourth in the Premier League and yet they didn't qualify for the Champions League. What's that you say? It could be reality? Spit.

Plenty of time to worry about that, though, eh? As a matter of fact, the links have several stories that are "worry about later" type stories... but since they're there, they get linked now. Also, thoughts on the Wigan match this weekend (not preview-type thoughts just yet...), a little bit of time to laugh at the scum (or not... I can't decide who to laugh at in this story) and memories from a former Toon player regarding the Champions League. Take the jump and check it out!

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Through the magic of the prose of johnjmurphy17, we all took sides for one reason or another with regard to the Chelsea v. Barcelona Champions League tie. As you will all remember, I was (and will remain) squarely in the "Anyone but Chelsea" camp due to the implications on Newcastle United's Champions League hopes. A weeks' worth of results on, and we are sitting in exactly the scenario that I did not wish to see occur. Chelsea have dispatched Barcelona in a match that was described as "surely one of the greatest of all time" by Ian Darke of ESPN; Newcastle defeated Stoke, Tottenham lost to QPR and it sure looks like the Toon have a reasonable shot at the 4th place CL qualifying spot.

We had to know that it was coming... this season had too much feel good. Being a Newcastle fan, we all were standing on a very large rug just waiting for it to be pulled out from under us. Week after week, many would wonder if this was going to be the week where the wheels fell off of Newcastle's dream season. Two seasons up and on the cusp of Champions League qualification. Some were slow to come around and believe... but here we are, all standing on the rug over a hole to the Europa League and Chelsea have two hands on ready to yank it out from underneath us. There are matches to be played, of course, and a fourth place finish is by no means guaranteed... but the scenario is out there and in play. Newcastle United could potentially qualify for the Champions League... but not get to go.

In a semi-related note, however, Aston Villa lost to Bolton today, leaving them only 2 points above the drop zone now. You may remember that Aston Villa claimed the three points that sent us down and essentially danced on our grave... so if you're the vindictive type... that's a little something to keep an eye on.

Perhaps you thought "Is there no news on Tyneside at all today?" and you would be fair in wondering. Although delivered a little later than I'd normally hope, I've come round a couple of stiff challenges and arrived at the goal with the news.

Today: Toon Army to annex DW Stadium? New boy for Newcastle midfield? Erik Pieters wants to come to Newcastle and Wor Jackie on the move. I'll try not to waste much time today and just get right into it. Jump!

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When the 2011-2012 Barclay's Premier League season kicked off, most people were certain that Newcastle United would have a lot to play for in the final four matches of the schedule. The question of "Which competition will they be competing in next season?" was certainly one that many felt would still be in play at this point in the season. None expected that the question would be in reference to European competition. Newcastle are far from the relegation tips that they were getting from many pundits (and fans, mind) and Tyneside is buzzing.

It's Monday, and we've had a day to decompress from a second comprehensive defeat of Stoke City, a loss by Tottenham giving Newcastle sole possession of 4th place and Everton valiantly fighting against Manchester United and only just missing out on the full 3 points that would have delayed the European qualification parties in Toon. There are, however, four matches left in the season... matches on which United's ultimate European fate will be decided. The club are keeping their heads down and focusing one match at a time... but we as fans will likely find some combination of reality and fantasy over the next week. Take the jump for some reality!

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For the second time in a handful of weeks, Newcastle United's Improbable Quest for Europe was in position to be influenced by the result of an Everton match, and Everton eventually were unable to delay the inevitable. Needing 5 wins in their last 5 to have a shot at denying the Magpies' European football dreams, it was always going to be a long shot. It will not be Newcastle United's spot in Europe that Everton will be looking the poach in the last month of the Premier League season now.

All credit to Everton, they took the fight right to Manchester United, refusing to fold when the Red Devils opened up two goal leads at 3-1 and 4-2 coming back to 4-4 and looking to dent the red half of Manchester's title aspirations in a wildly entertaining match, but in the end, they would come up 1 goal short of the result that would temporarily deny Newcastle what they have been thirsting for since it became clear that this squad was not going to fade and "slide down the table" as the pundits wanted.

For the first time in 5 years (and the first qualification through league placement since 2004-05), the Mighty Magpies will return to the bright lights of UEFA competition. There are four matches left for Newcastle to exert control over exactly which competition that is going to be, but we do know for sure 100% mathematically, Newcastle United are going to be in one or the other. Consider this your celebration thread.

If one of the following describe your current situation, you are in the right place. If:

• You are up specifically to watch the Manchester United v. Everton match simply for it's implications on Newcastle United's European Qualfication or
• You are up because your significant other is on Emergency rotation in vet school and set an alarm to go back in for treatment which woke you up (which was ok anyway because you really had done the first option anyway)
• {fill in your own explanation here}

Edited to replace the old video. This one is much, much better quality and includes post-match from Yohan Cabaye and studio breakdown of Cabaye's day by Alan Shearer. Worth watching! --OSotP

What a day! What a season! If your love for this club isn't stronger today than it's ever been... well... there may not be hope for you*. The dust has settled on the Saturday fixtures and I'm proud to report that, with 4 matches left in the Premier League season (3 if you're Arsenal), Newcastle sit ALONE in 4th place, 3 points behind Arsenal for third. As a little touchstone, let's take a brief second to remember that Newcastle were 11 points behind Tottenham Hotspur following Spurs' annihilation of the Magpies on the 11th of February. As it sits now, Newcastle United will lock up a spot in Europe if Everton take anything less than the full 3 points from their match with Manchester United tomorrow... a bit anti-climactic that it is likely to happen when Newcastle are not involved... but qualification beggars can't be choosers, right?

As we've talked out in some of the comments threads today, it is tremendous to see Newcastle handling squads that they should handle in the businesslike manner in which they are. You have to think that previous editions of Necastle United might have had a bit of a struggle against the likes of Stoke today... but this squad... this BEAUTIFUL squad went out and kept Stoke out of it from the word go. The full highlights video is not up yet, but I can provide to you video of each of the goals from today's match and a clip from Alan Pardew's post-match presser... so take the jump and relive a most excellent day in a most excellent season!

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At some point, to use the cliche, you might have to run out of superlatives to describe the wonder that has been the 2011-12 Premier League campaign of Newcastle United. After a tremendous undefeated start to the season which the club rode through a "rough patch" during the middle of the season before rounding into the best form that the club has seen in the top flight for many years. With Europe on the line, the club stepped up and calmly dispatched Stoke in clinical fashion.

It is important to note that the 3 points earned today still do not technically clinch 6th place (and guaranteed European football) for United. Somewhere in Newcastle's final 4 matches or Everton's final 5, Newcastle have to gain 1 solitary point on Everton... and given the club's form at this time, you'd have to say that it is unlikely that Newcastle will lose all of their remaining matches while Everton win all 5 of theirs. Stranger things may have happened before, though... so nothing is guaranteed yet. Now that that's out of the way, this business of Stoke.

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