After years of false dawns and empty promises, there was a blend of apprehension and excitement lingering in the air when Newcastle United fans were informed the £305m takeover was back on the table last October. When that eagerly-awaited Premier League statement dropped one year ago today all that angst and uncertainty turned to sheer jubilation as fans flocked to St James' Park to celebrate an unprecedented moment in their football club's history.
The whirlwind 12 months that followed doesn't need to be explained in too much detail given the plethora of coverage but to sum it up; there has been managerial changes, shrewd boardroom appointments, a tidal wave of problems solved, major investment in almost every single area of the club and subsequent success on the pitch.
Of course, the ushering in of a new era meant saying goodbye to much-loved veterans of the football club. A raft of senior and junior staff have been moved on, with Eddie Howe also saying painful farewells to players who soldiered on during the worst moments of the Mike Ashley era.
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Isaac Hayden was one of those squad members who made way in the summer as Newcastle trimmed their bloated first-team to make way for new arrivals. A heroic figure on Tyneside, the midfielder's exit was felt deeply despite not coming as too much of a surprise. A loan move to Norwich City emerged and Hayden wasted no time accepting, admitting he felt it was the right time to wish the Magpies on their way.
"As I and some of the lads discussed before the season ended, the club is going in a new direction," Hayden told Chronicle Live. "They're going to be spending money and obviously bringing in high quality players. That's all the players want; you want to get better players in that can help you and help to progress the club.
"The most important thing is the club and its progression. So if that means we contribute in a six-year manner or a two-year manner, and I'm speaking for myself here, I'm just happy to contribute in any way I can to move the club forward.
"When I joined, we were in the Championship and I'm leaving and we've had five years in the Premier League and we're established. That for me is a success. That's the way I look at it."
While there is the sadness of goodbyes, there is also huge excitement at the next chapter in the club's history. Much has been made of the change in atmosphere, with Wor Flags playing an integral part in improving a matchday experience at St James' Park. For former Newcastle United stars who experienced the heyday of the 1990s, the last 12 months have brought memories of the glory days flooding back.
"The last few months have been back to the days of the 90's," Lee Clark told Chronicle Live. "I'm experiencing it now as a fan so I can understand the buzz around the city before the game kicks off, everyone is really positive, seeming happy compared to what it was like previously.
"Fans went out of loyalty before that and there was always the idea that they were weren't going to be entertained. You get in the stadium and now it's electric. The atmosphere is superb.
"Everyone is together - the ownership, players and the manager, the supporters, they all stick by each other. When there is a setback on the pitch, the fans are there to try and encourage them. It's so similar to my playing days. This Wor Flags idea has been phenomenal really. How they inspire the supporters is incredible."
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There was a sense the club not sink any lower under Ashley's tenure, with the 2-1 defeat at Molineux last October leaving supporters convinced the north east outfit was heading for relegation, with Steve Bruce unable to turn fortunes around and Ashley simply not caring to.
The poor start to the campaign had followed an excruciating summer in which Newcastle had struggled in the transfer market. A £25m move for Joe Willock was the only incoming dealing, with the club releasing a nameless, faceless statement explaining the lack of business after the window closed.
Fast forward 12 months and nine new faces have helped propel Newcastle away from certain danger this term, to aspirations of potentially upsetting the Premier League apple cart with a European push. Subsequently, the media have certainly taken notice.
"It's night and day from last summer when nothing was happening and Joe Willock on a permanent was about all fans had to get excited about," Newcastle United supporter and BT Sport's lead Premier League presenter Lynsey Hipgrave told Chronicle Live. "It was the same old feeling of 'are we going to scrape survival?' and that was all you had to look forward to.
"I thought we were done for last season, I thought we were absolutely down. As much as I rated Howe and was pleased with the appointment, I just thought it was too much to ask to keep us up. I think I'd finished my Christmas shopping by the time we got our first win last season!
"I said to my dad at the time that Newcastle were going to have to play at top four level to have any chance [of staying up]. I just thought there was no chance even Howe, in that short amount of time, could turn it around. It's remarkable the job Eddie has done. I'm so happy with him. It's just so lovely having some optimism for a change. It's very, very weird but it's a beautiful thing and I could definitely get used it."
It isn't only the first-team's fortunes that have improved, with added emphasis now placed on the academy and under-21 sides too. Amanda Staveley has also made it her mission to ensure the women's team becomes a force in the ever-growing world of female football.
Women's boss Becky Langley has heaped praise on Staveley for her continued support, which was on display in abundance when over 20,000 fans flocked to St James' Park for the first ever female game at the home of the men's side. Langley's side missed out on promotion that day, despite an emphatic win over Alnwick Town Ladies, but this season will potentially see her team climb one step up the pyramid.
"The owners came down and were massively inspired and excited by the experience, especially Amanda as she loves women's sport and wants to showcase that in the best light," Langley told Chronicle Live after the St James' Park clash.
"For the women's team to do so well with such limited resources and without their support, with their support we're going to be in such a fantastic position going forward and that confidence in me as a female coach has been really important."
The last 12 months have seen a club reborn, with supporters looking up rather than down going forward. It remains to be seen how far this outfit can go, and how far it will take them, but at every level there has been significant improvement - and that will only continue.
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