Two football clubs punching beneath their weight are about to come together with new hope stirring in their breast.
Newcastle United resume their Premier League survival battle buoyed by five new signings at a cost of £90m while Everton, another club with distinguished history, spent deadline day ushering in a trio of massive names - Frank Lampard at the helm with Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli in the dressing-room.
Both clubs wish to put their recent past behind them. United's record we know only too well - two victories, two clean sheets etc. However Everton are almost as bad.
Fifth bottom, they have the third lowest share of possession in the top flight (40.4 per cent), third fewest clean sheets (three), and fourth lowest pass accuracy (73.5 per cent). Awful background, hopeful present.
Newcastle have without question upped the ante too manning defences previously easily breached and adding a splash of brightness in Brazilian midfielder Bruno Gulmaraes.
Top talent Allan Saint-Maximin who was threatening to bail out if relegation became inevitable now seems enthused by the arrival of Bruno and we need to see that reflected on the pitch.
The Saint has appeared to carry the woes of the world on his broad shoulders of late but Gulmaraes could be the spark he and others need to revive United's season.
Let us hope that the G Man can act as jump leads for both ASM and United!
There is no time to be lost.
Regardless, if Saint-Maximin is ever to become a serious contender for the Ballon d'Or which is his lofty ambition then a significant shift in terms of impact and consistency is required as quick as he likes. The gap is huge between the undoubted potential of many and the realisation of a few.
Saint-Maximin took to social media to welcome Guimaraes in gushing terms but most Geordies within SJP come Tuesday night will be looking closely to see exactly what he brings to the party.
Bruno is certain to be regularly paired with Jonjo Shelvey at the base of midfield, hopefully ready to start in United's very first game since his arrival given the urgency of their plight and the money spent.
Guimaraes is a two-way midfielder - he helps in breaking up play and can also kick start the team's possession game. His tackling and pass completion stats are good.
Defensively he is committed and unafraid to get stuck in which should enable him to adapt quickly to PL football and give Newcastle's centre backs a much needed upgrade in midfield protection. He is 6ft tall with a strong upper body which he uses to out-muscle opponents in one v one situations. All plusses that will be most welcome in a relegation fight.
If any reminder is required about the need for help then a quick glance at Newcastle's goals against record (43 from 21 games) will emphasise why Guimaraes as well as Dan Burn and Matt Targett have been added to the task force.
Maybe minds were further concentrated when after the only PL match of the weekend United dropped a position in the table to second bottom but in reality a drab 0-0 draw between Burnley and Watford was the best result Geordies could have desired.
Certainly United's battle to rid themselves of the threat of impending demotion has been made that much more difficult despite transfer euphoria because they are to be faced by the Lampard factor.
That brought an immediate response with the blues dispatching Brentford 4-1 in their FA Cup tie at the weekend.
However may I point out in mitigation that the Bees are currently on a mighty slide having lost their last four league fixtures before their Cup exit and could yet end up in relegation territory. While currently eight points ahead of United they have played two more times.
Of course Everton's transfer day signings van de Beek and Alli, both cup-tied, heighten optimism and they will be backed over the season's run-in by former Magpies Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondon as well as strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.
It sounds formidable, doesn't it, as the Toffees try to emerge from a sticky patch but then Newcastle have raised spirits too.
Welcome to a new look back four, to a reshaped centre midfield, and to a £25m centre-forward.
Yes, the failure to get another striker in because of last-day rejections is to be lamented but in the main United's power brokers delivered their side of the bargain.
Now it is up to Eddie Howe, his coaches, the new signings who have to prove worthy of the investment, and the old guard who need to show they are the ones deserving to survive.
