When you consider the journey that Newcastle United have gone on over the last 18 months - from relegation fodder to top four contenders with club transfer fees being smashed and a cup final for good measure - to supporters of other clubs, it might seem somewhat strange that open lines of communication or a new training ground canteen are the things being celebrated more than anything by the fan base.
In fact, when you take a step backwards, it most likely seems just as strange to Toon fans that things other clubs consider the norm are meaning so much.
But that's the lasting legacy of Mike Ashley's Newcastle United. Where fans were left feeling unappreciated by an owner who just didn't seem to understand the importance of the club to the very people who supported it. The announcement of a safe standing trial at St James' Park - in Strawberry Corner, which is to begin next season - has been met with near-universal approval from Newcastle fans - yet the very fact the club asked fans for their opinion on such a move, is also being applauded.
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To introduce safe standing is a big move by the club's owners - one you assume won't be cheap and won't be a quick job. The infrastructure needed, the safety measures, and relocation of those who don't want to be part of the trial will all take up the time of those involved this summer.
But having consulted fans, the club felt it was what the majority wanted. Indeed it's been on the agenda for a large portion of the fanbase for years.
Yet the club didn't just do it. They surveyed more than 4,000 fans and invited 70 to attend working groups at St James' Park to gather feedback on their proposals. Just like they won't just change the name of the stadium in a big money sponsorship deal, nor the club crest or club colours or on a bigger scale, relocate St James' Park because those in the boardroom understand that without the fans' input and approval, such changes could easily be a waste a time.
Ashley found that out the hard way - offering the naming rights up to the highest bidder without consulting the very people who fill it every other week. Without consulting those who it matters the most.
Bringing in huge sponsorship was not so much the issue - it was the lack of care and appreciation for the tradition that the club has been built on, that hurt fans. And that's the difference between the past ownership and the one which has the keys now - there's an understanding that, that tradition to many who support Newcastle is more important than money and to some, even silverware.
You don't have to look too far to see the discussion between fans about potential stadium sponsorship - would it be accepted by the Geordie faithful? The opinion is divided but there's an agreement that any such move would require consultation between the club and fanbase - something co-owner Amanda Staveley seems well aware of.
Having been pressed on the possibility of ground sponsorship, she said last year: "First and foremost St James' belongs to the fans and we always remember that we are custodians and we are privileged to be there. We have got the world's greatest fans. We want to make sure we do everything that's right for Newcastle and the club. PIF are incredibly aware of their position as custodians and they want to make sure that whatever sponsorship decisions are taken in the future with due care and attention."
Communication and consultation form a major part of the club's ethos - underlined by the August 2022 appointment of Sarah Medcalf as head of supporter services, and the publication of last week's fan engagement policy. It was a document released that the club says 'reinforces its commitment to ensuring long-term meaningful engagement with supporters.' In truth, there was nothing overly groundbreaking in the pamphlet that accompanied the announcement, but then consulting 4,000 fans about safe standing should hardly be a move that wins plaudits.
Yet on Tyneside it is. It's been hailed. It's a marker of how far the club has come since Ashley left. In time, asking fans their view on decisions will not be given a second thought but for now, it's a reminder of the appreciation the owners have for the fan base and their view - and of just how Ashley got things very, very wrong.
What do you think about safe standing at St James' Park? Join the conversation in the comments below.
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