Finishing the season in the top five is a fantastic achievement that few would have predicted back in August, but game by game this team has grown in stature and confidence.

And while there has been the odd hiccup during the run-in, games against the so called bigger guns in the Premier League are no longer matches to fear.

Indeed after a summer of turmoil and departures, how many Geordie fans expected to be coming away from places like Chelsea, Manchester United or even the likes of Stoke City this season with anything but a painful defeat?

At the risk of sounding more experienced I remember when Manchester City turned up in such a bad state that their fans sarcastically celebrated the award of a corner as if it was a goal.

At the end of 90 minutes against Newcastle today, City players were celebrating having one hand on the Premier League trophy.

It was back in the 1995/96 season as City were floored by Kevin Keegan's Entertainers.

City ended the season relegated under Alan Ball at the start of a journey that led them to places like Macclesfield and Colchester!

We're yet to see if it will be via the Europa League or the Champions League, but hey it's back and Geordie fans are ready to make the most of it.

After all no matter what happens now - this is more than most fans bargained for at the start of the campaign.

Perch of course netted an own goal in the corresponding fixture when he put one past Tim Krul in the dying stages to win the game for the Potters.

Most people who have played the game at any level know exactly how it feels to score an OG, and Perch probably wanted the ground to swallow him up.

He found it tough at first in Toon scoring not only the OG against Stoke but also struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League, picking up four yellow cards in his first four games.

But refused to crumble that day and he's since refused to throw the towel in on his Newcastle career.

Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear, Chris Hughton and Alan Shearer were all given limited time to get it right at St James' Park, despite pleas during their time in charge for "stability" on Tyneside.

Despite those pleas none of them were able to get from game one to game 38 without enduring the dreaded chop.

But if he opts to move, which some people believe is now looking on the cards - few would be surprised given football's everchanging climate when it comes to recruitment.

Ba has been fantastic in his first season and with 16 goals so far has exceeded many pre-season expectations.

Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in football's vultures circling the Magpies' nest and as the season nears the finishing line.

Ba is understood to be wanted by Paris St Germain while Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Redknapp has also been vocal about the striker in the last few months.

But despite his sparkling record thus far he must keep up the pace to stay in touch with same sensational start made by Les Ferdinand in 1995.

Sir Les was sitting pretty with nine in eight matches but in games nine and 10 he stepped things up in games

They will travel to Wales with confidence - and so they should.

After all, Newcastle are in their best position at this stage of a season since the days of Bobby Robson in 2002/03 when they managed a top four finish.

And in the shape of Papiss Cisse they have a man in form with only Les Ferdinand being able to boast a better start to his career, edging ahead of the Senegal star with one more strike than Cisse's seven in seven opening gambit.

Replacing a Messiah, can't be easy can it?

And if you are a determined figure like Dalglish - who is only used to being adored by fans no matter what decision you make in football - a combination of his own stubborn outlook on how the job should be done and filling the massive void left by Kevin Keegan was almost going to be the impossible job.

In Barton's case it was more of a rocky road but one he emerged from with credit.

He arrived as a big money signing from Wimbledon but soon knew the step up and expectations on Tyneside were huge in comparison to little old Wimbledon.

Like Perch, Barton suffered a tricky start to his Toon career and was made scapegoat by some during the 1995/96 season.

As the pressure intensified Kevin Keegan dropped him from the team with Steve Watson taking his place in the run-in.

Or is it a fresh example that society has now changed for the worst?

Let's not forget, the Geordie public are still amongst the warmest people in the UK when it comes to welcoming folk to such a vibrant and exciting city.

But sadly, there will always be the small minority of idiots that will try to spoil it for everybody else.

It was Beardsley's stunning strike against Norwich back in 1995 that lit up a late season encounter agains the Canaries as Kevin Keegan's Magpies ran out 3-0 winners.

Memories of the Entertainers era never run dry, but there were often games when it was the class of Beardsley and the clinical finishing of Cole decided matches.

There wasn't much entertaining going on against Norwich in the Premier League for Alan Pardew's side, but it was one true moment of class that decided it.

Today it was announced that Premier League managers had voted him the signing of the season with an award that represents a real feather in the hat for Newcastle United.

When United sold Andy Carroll for £35million to Liverpool there was a lot of talk that Premier League goal-getters don't come on the cheap.

But after a slow start, Ba exploded on to the scene and his 16 goals are the envy of many Premier League sides.

With the likes of Rangers and Pompey KO'd on the financial canvas, there has to be some credit directed the way of Toon board, who for all their credit are trying to live in modern times.

Sometimes, Shola has perhaps endured too much stick down the years when donning the shirt of the club he clearly loves.

True, some of his performances lack impact at times, but perhaps his biggest issue is complacency.

The intensity of Premier League life and the expectations to win mean there is enormous pressure on players.

Don't get me wrong, as a player I actually have a lot of time for Parker's energetic style of play.

And in an era when players often have the raw enthusiasm coached out of them through managers overthinking tactical battles, it's good to see players who just chase anything that moves on a football pitch.

That's what Parker brings to a team, if there were more like him at Spurs then maybe the Londoners might be realistic title contenders.

But having experienced Parker as captain at Newcastle, I beg to differ with those who feel he could offer a magic solution for England.