We wanted to get an overview of how Newcastle United fans are feeling at the moment.
Thoughts on the 2025/26 season that has just concluded.
As one season ends though, thoughts immediately turn to what comes next, only 11 weeks to go until the 2026/27 Premier League kicks off.
An ideal time to get a snapshot of views from Newcastle United fans on their thoughts, with a busy summer ahead of us all.
So we sent out questions to a number of regular/irregular contributors to The Mag.
First up answering the questions is Jinky Jim:
Three words to describe how you currently feel as a Newcastle United fan?
Disappointed not dejected
Three words to describe Newcastle United now?
Yet another crossroads
Newcastle United fell from 5th to 12th in the Premier League, what percentage of the blame / responsibility would you attach to each of these?
Alexander Isak 20
Eddie Howe 20
The players 20
Newcastle United owners (not dealing properly with Isak situation, not having senior staff in place etc to help get summer 2025 transfers done etc) 20
Bad luck and small margins 20
Everyone listed holds some responsibility for the way things worked out but such were the fine margins that only a handful more points and Newcastle would have been playing in Europe next season.
But we are not going to be in Europe and we really don’t deserve to be.
What rating out of 10 would you give each of the permanent summer 2025 signings for their contributions across the 2025/26 season?
Anthony Elanga 2
Jacob Ramsey 5
Malick Thiaw 7
Yoane Wissa 0
Nick Woltemade 2 or 4 or 7 . I really don’t know what to make of Nick. And is seems that Eddie doesn’t either.
What do you see as the biggest priorities in the transfer market this summer?
I think that before we go and buy some new blood, it would be a good idea to decide what our playing formation is to be, so we can actually buy players that fit into it. But our priorities will also be decided by those who are leaving.
Was it the correct decision to sell Anthony Gordon and how do you think he should be judged on his time at Newcastle United (and do you think he will prove a success at Barcelona)?
He was yet another winger who split the fan base. I never warmed to him, probably because I really hated him in an Everton shirt, but he did a decent job for us. Well sometimes. However, he wont be missed by myself.
His Barcelona unveiling, speaking Spanish, showed that he is far more intelligent than he looks and that he will fit in well to their team and the Spanish league.
What do you predict will be the Newcastle United first choice eleven for the 2026/27 season?
I think we are in for a huge turnover because the likes of Tino, Sandro and Nick will move on.
So our first team sheet may only see Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Bruno and Barnes in it of the existing squad, with six new faces.
Is Eddie Howe still in charge next season the correct decision?
Yes, but he will be gone by the second international break if we are in the bottom half, he is on thin ice.
Which players emerge with credit for the 2025/26 season?
That’s a difficult question. A number of players have had good patches,but no one had a great season. Let’s give a C to everyone apart from Elanga and Wissa.
What would represent success in the 2026/27 season for Newcastle United?
Utterly dependent on the new squad but getting back to Wembley and a Europa League spot would do for me.
What do you see as the minimum to achieve this coming season?
Qualifying for europe, even if it’s just the Conference League.
Predict the top six in the Premier League (in order) and which three clubs will be relegated in 2026/27.
Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Man Utd, Chelsea
Hull, Forest, Sunderland
At what point did you first think the 2025/26 Newcastle United wasn’t going to turn out as you had hoped it would?
Things may never have felt comfortable all season but while we were still in Europe and the League Cup, you can hardly say things were bad.
For me it was the 57th minute of the home derby. The Mackems equalise and we completely fall apart. I thought at the time, we are shot.
Which players do you think would be ideal (and realistic) signings this summer (don’t feel limited to only players who have been linked to Newcastle United in the media)?
I understand the wish for statement signings, but we need at least six new players, so what can we afford? We need to chase the type of players that Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford sign, not those who Arsenal, Man City or Man Utd are after.
I may not want that to be the case but it’s the reality of where we are.
We are now coming up to five years since the Newcastle United owners bought the club from Mike Ashley. Are you now more or less (or the same) optimistic about where they will take the club compared to how you felt back in October 2021? How committed do you think the owners are now to NUFC? Yasir Al-Rumayyan said the intention was to make Newcastle number one in the world, CEO David Hopkinson says the intention is that by 20230 the club will be competing to win all competitions. What do you predict will be the reality in the next five years?
Give me a minute to polish my crystal balls.
First, you have to be happier than how we were back in 2021. Surely you must be?
But I think the reality of the situation is now fully understood by our owners. I believe they did not envisage the obstacles that would be put in their way to prevent them buying the title. Likewise, they can’t believe how a few run down houses can stop them building a new stadium.
It is quite ironic that a main player in a global oil cartel, find themselves held back by a a Premier League cartel, who don’t want them at their table.
I think we can win another cup or two but we are not going to win the league in the next five years.
How would you rate your optimism for next season at Newcastle United from 0-100?
There are so many variables at the time of writing, but if my optimism is for us to achieve a Europa league spot, then 70.
Will you be taking an active interest in the Newcastle players at the World Cup?
I honestly won’t watch a world cup game until the knockouts.
Wissa’s Congo v Uzbekistan? Elanga’s Sweden v Tunisia?
No thanks.
What level of interest generally will you have in the World Cup and what is your prediction on who will win it and how far do you think England will get?
Well 48 teams, meaningless games and rubbish kick off times doesn’t help to get me interested, but once we get to the last 16, I will watch a few.
I think the weather will impact on England and they will go out in the quarter finals.
Brazil or Argentina to win it.