After more than a decade of underinvestment and underwhelming performances, Newcastle United fans can be excited about the future following the recent £305m takeover by a Saudi-led consortium.
Newcastle now has owners that are around ten times richer than the group headed by Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City. Considering City's meteoric rise during the last ten years, from relegation strugglers to five-time Premier League champions, it is no surprise that the footballing world is expecting Newcastle to become a European heavyweight.
However, while fans will be dreaming big, the Tyneside club first needs to lay the foundations for future success. That will start with securing their Premier League status this season, which is not yet a certainty. After 11 games, Newcastle are the only side in the division yet to record a win, and they languish in 19th place with just five points and are a further five points from safety.
Former manager Steve Bruce left the club following the takeover and Newcastle have since appointed former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe. The 43-year-old has signed a three-year contract and is now tasked with getting the club up the table while playing a more attractive and effective style of football.
Howe is likely to have ample funds at his disposal when the transfer window opens in January. The consortium is backed by Saudi Arabia's incredibly wealthy Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Newcastle have been linked with a number of big-name signings since the takeover. However, the new owners are adamant that they want to build success sustainably.
Amanda Stavely, who is now a director at Newcastle, said: "We want to see it get those trophies, obviously. At top of the Premier League, in Europe, but to get trophies means patience, investment, time."
Football finance expert Dr Tom Bason believes Newcastle could win the Premier League within ten years, so based on that time frame, it suggests the Magpies could be in the running for Champions League qualification before then. If they manage to secure their top flight status this term, maybe a realistic time frame for Europe's top table is five years.
It won't be the first time Newcastle have played in the Champions League as they have done so on two previous occasions, the last being in 2002/03 when they were eliminated in the second Group Stage. Perhaps for fans, any form of glory will do for now as Newcastle have not won a major trophy for more than 60 years.
All eyes will be on Newcastle and Howe during the remainder of the season then. Premier League fans can get the latest odds-on Newcastle games and other top-flight matches by visiting one of the UK betting sites, where they will be able to trigger bonuses on signing up.
A new era for Newcastle promises to be the most exciting chapter in the club's history and, according to the main supporter's trust, a chance to "rejuvenate one of the greatest football clubs in England". If everything goes to plan, Champions League football could soon be a regular fixture at St James's Park.
