One thing has characterised Newcastle United over the last few years – kneejerk reactions. And it hasn’t done them any favours.

Kneejerk dismissals are usually followed up by kneejerk appointments. And they’re trying to do it again by unsettling current manager Chris Hughton.

Okay, so they haven’t got rid off him yet, but they’re itching to do it. But who exactly are they going to get if and when they do force Hughton out of the job? Joe Kinnear? The only entertainment the Tyneside public will get from him is to see how many times he swears during press conferences.

 

Or how about Alan Shearer? Yes, we know he was a great finisher as a player. But if his atrociously scripted and banal Match of the Day analysis is anything to go by, the players are more likely to be bored to death in the changing rooms than be inspired to produce a killer display on the pitch.

Newcastle were relegated with Premier League players on Premier League wages two years ago. That can usually spell disaster, both on and off the field. But Hughton managed to keep everyone from throwing their expensive toys out of their prams and steadied a sinking ship by taking them straight back to the top flight.

He at least deserves a chance to consolidate their status, especially when they’ve beaten West Ham and Everton on the road, while also putting six and five past Aston Villa and Sunderland respectively.

They’re in seventh position after ten games. Seventh! What do the club’s hierarchy expect after spending a year trudging through places like Scunthorpe United and Peterborough in a bid for an immediate return to the Premier League?

Any manager will come under pressure if results don’t go their way. But Hughton has ticked all the right boxes so far and not only has he managed to get Joey Barton playing well, but has managed to get him to go five minutes without hitting someone.

Hughton may not be good enough to bring Champions League football back to St James Park, but he can play a part in consolidating their position first and foremost, which is a better alternative to wrecking all the good work he has done for the club.

A club as big as Newcastle, with their stadium and fanbase, can challenge the big boys in time. But patience is a virtue, and sadly their board seems to be lacking it.