Chris Hughton

Chris Hughton

Hats off to Chris Hughton who has succeeded in getting Newcastle promoted at the first attempt, and with six games of the season still to go.

Mike Ashley must be counting his blessings because in the wrong hands the club could have easily have gone into a Leeds-like downward spiral. Yet, the truth is that the vast majority of ‘The Toon Army’ wanted Alan Shearer to get the job permanently, with Hughton — previously seen as a stopgap — an unpopular choice by a chairman merely looking for caretaker while he sought out a buyer.

One wonders if the Stratford native, who became the first black player to be capped by the Republic in 1979, might have a word in his in-form captain Kevin Nolan’s ear about declaring for Ireland.