Another one bites the dust...
Habib Beye posed in an Aston Villa shirt for the first time tonight at Villa Park to signal another demoralising blow for Toon fans with the Senegal international the third player to leave United in a week.
The Chronicle revealed on July 29, the day of the Leeds game, that the trio of Beye, Sebastien Bassong and Obafemi Martins were preparing to say farewell at St James's Park and on the eve of the trip to West Brom, United's paper thin squad has been decimated yet further.
Martins didn't even make it to kick off against Leeds and was talking about terms with his agent in a city centre restaurant while his team-mates battled on without him.
By that time Bassong was putting in his final appearance for Newcastle while Beye trotted off the field with a display of applause usually reserved for a player's final appearance - he knew he was on his way.
In fact for Beye, he knew his time was up the moment he returned for pre-season training on July 1 when Alan Shearer wasn't there to greet him.
He used the non-appointment of Shearer as his get out of jail card as talks about a new contract crumbled instantly, despite claiming at Villa Park (ironically) that he would stay on and fight for the future to help United win back their Premier League place.
Beye arrived at St James's Park from Marseille where he had been skipper for the previous two seasons in 2007.
After a shaky start at Newcastle, Beye quickly found his feet an established himself as a crowd favourite with the Habib Beye song hitting the airwaves on Tyneside and the player even ending up with his own website named Beye Watch!
He was always a player that faced up to his responsibilities and was often left to explain some of Newcastle's Premier League defeats while others ran to the hills.
But the problem for Newcastle is that their squad is looking the thinnest of thin.
We're left with few options at the back and when the unconvincing Fabricio Coloccini didn't show for Dundee United last week the next in line was young gun Tamas Kadar.
Options at right-back are limited enough with Ryan Taylor likely to get us under way at the start of term.
All in all - another dark day on Tyneside with many wondering if we'll ever wake up from this nightmare.
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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Oh dear what can the matter be,
we've got an owner called Michael Ashley,
can anyone save us from this utter trash Lee
will somebody buy us out there.
Then he goes out and gets Dennis Wise,
and Mr. Llambias tells nothing but lies,
they take no notice of the fans cries,
please somebody buy us out there.
Keegan was boss but he started thinking,
something was wrong,in fact it was stinking,
he got out and the ship started sinking,
Oh! somebody buy us out there.
In came Kinnear as Mike Ashleys man,
but he was just there to carry the can,
does nobody care for the Newcastle fan,
Help! Somebody buy us out there.
They brought in big Al when it was too late,
clowns had already sealed our Toons fate,
relegation guarantees a much lower gate,
nobody will buy us out there.
Coffee Johny - Nice one mate!