Never before has the captain's armband at St James' Park caused such a stir.
But going into the new Premiership season with wounds patched up and dreams renewed under Sam Allardyce and new owner Mike Ashley, Newcastle United head into the new campaign looking for the man who will inspire them to glory.
We know that the likes of Shay Given, Nobby Solano and Nicky Butt have all done the job before and are more than capable but a new era surely needs a new face, a fresh approach and more importantly a player who isn't hung up about past failures.
The new guy not only has to gee players up this season but try to banish memories of last season, which at times resembled nothing more than a farce and a team that was never going anywhere and always just seconds away from the next crisis.
So who would you have as skip?
Michael Owen threw his hat into the ring early on but many feel a striker is not a suitable position for a striker and he is unlikely to be fit for Bolton in any case.
Then there is Joey Barton who lasted less than a game as captain before a foot injury at Carlisle made sure the Scouse midfielder wouldn't lead the black and whites out at the start of the season.
And with Brazilian new boy Cacapa also not fit for Bolton the inspirational former Lyon skipper is also ruled out..for now...but more of that later.
Yes for now, it would appear that Geremi certainly seems keen on donning the armband at the Reebok Stadium and if that is the case, it wouldn't be a bad shout.
Geremi was all over the field against Sampdoria at the weekend and was still booming out the orders deep into stoppage time after another fine shift in a black and white top.
He's done the job for Cameroon and is clearly a man on a mission after having his good nature put to the test at Chelsea, when he was often dropped back to the bench despite doing little or nothing wrong at Stamford Bridge.
Now with first team football looking like a goer for the man who has guided his country many times, Geremi is hungry to do the job on a full time basis.
And then there is Claudio Cacapa.
How much more can you ask from a man who has captained Lyon to no fewer than five titles in a row?
His English is not good at the moment but the universal language of football could override that small factor in the case of this real winner.
Cacapa has already won the respect of his team-mates at Newcastle simply because of the trophy laden background that comes with him from Lyon.
Clearly the 31-year-old is not going to accept second rate performances from anyone and that could work in United's favour.
And after watching this tribute piece from French fans you may just warm to the three times Brazilian international!
Other choices for club captain would be Owen, Butt, Solano, Barton, Geremi and Given while Mark Viduka has also done the job for his country.
But after playing pass the parcel with armband this season during the friendly programme, where should it end up?
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