‘Feeling the renewal and rejuvenation with Newcastle United’

Maybe it’s because spring is drawing nearer, or maybe it was the couple of pints I had downed.

Either way, when Joe Willock broke through on goal and scored in the brilliant West London sunshine, I couldn’t help but think of Newcastle United renewal and rejuvenation.

I marvelled at these past four or five months and the trajectory the club’s fortunes have taken.

There were the paths not taken…

Another season of tight fisted incompetence under the Ashley regime, another season of Steve Bruce’s dire version of what might be called football, another season of bargain buys and loan deal mercenaries brought into the club to paper over the cracks. Another season of wandering in the cold with nothing to cling to.

Instead, fate brought us new Newcastle United owners, a bright young coach.

The coffers are now full, but Amanda Staveley and company have seemingly avoided the pitfalls of new ownership and in a difficult window they recruited well.

Bringing in committed, talented players rather than wasting £160 million on a disjointed squad a la Fulham.

Whilst we are not out of danger yet, and relegation threat still exists, I feel something I haven’t felt in roughly thirteen years: hope and belief.

While Steve and Alex Bruce are using their astounding man management skills to drop West Brom into mid-table in the Championship, our core group of players (aside from possibly Lascelles) under Eddie Howe are experiencing a renaissance that would have been unthinkable last autumn.

What it might have been otherwise is also unthinkable.

It could all still turn sour. Further injuries here or there, a bad run of form, the trap door maybe opens.

For the better part of two decades, waiting for the other shoe to drop has always come with the good at Newcastle United. However, for a few moments at Brentford, it was remarkable to see and feel what the future could hold.

We live in interesting times.