Imagine where Newcastle United would be had Premier League promotion not been immediately secured in 2017?
Lee Charnley, the Magpies’ former managing director, answered that question one year later. Speaking to the Independent in 2018, Mike Ashley’s subordinate opened up about the “gamble” Newcastle took ahead of their Championship-winning campaign.
"It was a one-season gamble," Charnley said. "In terms of what we did, it was not sustainable, either from a cash point of view and also from a financial fair play point of view.
"You cannot operate a business that continually has a wage bill that is higher than its turnover. What would have happened if we had failed to get promoted? It would have been a catastrophe, a bloodbath.
"I think the manager (Rafa Benitez) would have gone. I’m not saying that would have necessarily been our choice, but his as well. For him, this was a one-season gamble.
"I think we would have needed to sell players. Some of those we’d brought in would have wanted to go. Matt Ritchie, for example, bought into this project. ‘Yes, I’ll play in the Championship, but only for one year but then I’m going back up to the Premier League.'"
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Two opening defeats against Fulham and Brighton painted an ominous picture for the season - and the club’s balance sheet. However, the fight, spirit and togetherness shown by a core of first-team players dragged Newcastle back where they belong.
Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett, Matt Ritchie, Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey and Dwight Gayle not only helped secure promotion but made sure United retained their Premier League status for several years - despite little investment from above.
That is why these players will receive rightful adulation when they inevitably leave Tyneside in the coming years. Clark is already set to follow Hayden out the exit door this summer, with Sheffield United on the brink of completing a season-long loan.
The Republic of Ireland international earned the Magpies’ player of the season during 2016-17 after forging a rock-solid partnership with Lascelles. Newcastle conceded the joint-lowest number of goals in the division - highlighting the defensive know-how of Benitez as a manager.
The job that Championship squad did to bounce back from another Mike Ashley relegation and keep the club in the Premier League for years was crucial in getting Newcastle where it is now. Amanda Staveley - supercharged by PIF's billions - may still have shown interest in Newcastle outside the top flight. However, any deal would be a non-starter as Ashley had a stubborn £300million asking price - an impossible fee to justify for a second-tier club.
To put it bluntly: without Clark, there is no Sven Botman. Which is ironic as they are both left-footed centre-halves.
Offloading Clark and signing a player of the Dutchman’s calibre is what United must replicate throughout their squad to transform into a Premier League contender. The time will come for Ritchie, Lascelles et al to be moved on, too, but not without receiving gratitude and best wishes from the Toon Army.
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