For too long walking back into Newcastle United's first-team was simple, and any player that maintained even a moderate level of fitness had an even easier task of staying there.
However, in less than six months, Eddie Howe has changed the culture behind the scenes and now has a squad that are not only desperate to play each week, they are queuing up to sign new contracts at the club. Where once April and May time was the opportunity for the season's best performers to start pushing agents for a summer move, the aim for the majority is to ensure they will be in that 25-man squad at St James' Park next season.
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Howe beamed at the weekend: "Credit to the players again. They have incredible desire to go and win football matches at the moment and there is confidence running through the team. Really pleased.
"It is a lot of hard work, great team spirit and unity. Quality on the pitch as well. But it is a lot of factors from top to bottom of the club. Our supporters have played a big role too."
In recent times a press conference hasn't passed by without Howe being asked a question on the fate of a player that either can't get a game or didn't get in the squad in January. A month ago it was Sean Longstaff, two weeks ago it was Paul Dummett and only on Friday it was Jamal Lewis and Isaac Hayden.
Howe reflected after Norwich: "We came here off the back of a tough week and performed. It would have been very easy for us to drop our levels today from a physical perspective but full credit to the players. They were hungry for another win and I’m delighted with them."
With 32 senior players still on the books and new signings expected to arrive this summer, it is impossible for everybody to stay on board at United. It's a situation that has played into Howe's hands because it has made the run-in competitive.
Look at somebody like Dwight Gayle, the striker who hasn't started a single Premier League game so far this season. In years gone by, a player overlooked in such a manner may have downed tools and already have his mind on their next move.
Instead, despite Gayle getting a few minutes here and there under Howe, the reality is should he get the nod to start against Liverpool he will be playing like a man possessed. Gayle has smashed it in training and refused to give up on his future.
Jacob Murphy and Sean Longstaff got long awaited starts at Norwich and both did well overall to a point in which the coaching staff were happy with them. Murphy is that focused on his future he opted against doing an interview after the Crystal Palace game despite him being the ideal candidate ahead of the Norwich match.
Murphy was polite when turning down the request and explained he'd not had enough game-time to start being vocal and being drawn into talk of why he hasn't been playing so much lately. The message was understood clearly enough by the media in attendance too.
Allan Saint-Maximin is another to quickly change his thought process on his next move. From a decision at the end of the season, to big talk about remaining on Tyneside next term and a statement that "any player" would want to play for the Magpies going forward.
Again, in years gone by the mood might have been a little bit different and talk of unhappiness of not playing would surely have been circulated by certain players. Then you have the captain Jamaal Lascelles.
Lascelles is the guy who Rafa Benitez entrusted to lead a brand new era on Tyneside in 2016. He handed him the captaincy when he needed Newcastle to move in a new direction. He was just 22 then and took it all in his stride.
At 28, he is still club captain but has had to watch certain games as a substitute and accept he is part of Howe's squad rotation. Whether that remains the case next season remains unclear.
But there will be departures and fresh loans heading out the door this summer. And as Newcastle prepare to face Liverpool (h), Man City (a), Arsenal (h) and Burnley (a), those high standards must be adhered to by Toon players in the final few games, or some players will know what might happen next.
Howe has a decision to make on who stays and will be using this period to decide who will fit the bill next season. As it stands a host of them have shown a great attitude when not in the side, something that will hold them in good stead in phase two of the Newcastle takeover story.
