Newcastle United fans preparing for the 2026/27 Premier League season.
Less than two weeks to go now until Liverpool travel to St James’ Park.
An ‘interesting’ summer so far…
So many talking points.
An ideal time to get a snapshot of views from Newcastle United fans on their thoughts.
So we sent out questions to a number of regular/irregular contributors to The Mag, varying to a degree the questions that different fans received to answer.
Next up answering the questions we have David Hutchinson:
Which eight current Newcastle United players (in order) are going to be most important for the 2026/27 season?
Burn – just named as Captain, with Botman looking uncertain and the lack of leadership elsewhere in the squad we desperately need him to step up.
Wissa – last season we struggled because we couldn’t convert chances into goals. Wissa was supposed to be the striker who would see us through, in the short term. It didn’t happen last season, but he needs to step up this one.
Thiaw – I’m still not convinced by Thiaw. He has had a season to adapt to the Premier League and now he needs to step up.
Horníček – Last season we had goalkeeping issues that cannot be repeated again. Horny has already conceded goals in pre-season. He needs to step it up when the season starts.
Elanga – Another who was supposed to come in last season and improve the quality. Another who needs to step up this season.
Hall – He is probably our best player, and we need him to show it this season.
Woltemade – I like Woltemade. I want him to succeed at Newcastle. If he can’t, then there is no point holding onto him. If he is still here come the 1st September, I want Jaissle to find him a place that brings the best out of his qualities.
Toure – Probably the most exciting youngster we’ve signed. I don’t think it will take long for him to displace Harvey Barnes from the first team. We will need his creativity if we are going to have a good season.
Hand on heart, what position do you currently believe Newcastle United are most likely to finish in the 2026/27 Premier League season?
14th.
There are two reasons for this: firstly, our squad is still light in several key areas, short on experience and we have a manager who is untried in the Premier League. Secondly, I am the miserable Mag and my raison d’être is to find the gray cloud for every silver lining.
If you are looking for a bit of encouragement, let me offer you this. The Premier League is already the most unforgiving league in world football. The new SCR rules will make it even harder for promoted teams to be successful. Those teams may look to Sunderland as an example of coming into the league and being the disruptor, but recent history shows that they were the exception, not the rule.
Then you have the teams in Europe. Given the relative strength of the Premier League, there is a very good chance that most of the nine who qualified will end up in the latter stages of those competitions. As painful as that is, it could work in our favour. The first reason is obvious – we will be fresher. No jetting around the continent, no late night Wednesday and Thursday games, no turning up to an opposition stadium midday on a Sunday and looking jaded.
Then you have UEFA SCR. Crystal Palace and Aston Villa have already made big sales to remain compliant. Sunderland spent big last season to stay in the league and over achieved. Going into their first European campaign, they still have championship level revenues and very little SCR headroom (if any).
Three words to describe how you currently feel as a Newcastle United fan?
Nervous, Excited, Old
Three words to describe Newcastle United now?
The great unknown.
Three words to describe this summer 2026 NUFC transfer window so far?
Exciting and Terrifying
Do you see it as good news or bad news that Eddie Howe resigned?
Dare I say it, I think this is actually good news, even if the timing is less than ideal.
Eddie Howe has been fantastic for Newcastle United. He provided both stability and success during this first phase of the PIF / Reuben ownership. Last season, though, things went stale. While you can point towards a successful European campaign and moderate success in the domestic cups; the league results were not good enough. That was reflected in the team’s points total: 49. Significantly, that was the same tally Howe achieved in his first season, when he steered Newcastle away from what looked like inevitable relegation.
Last season, both players and staff looked tired and bereft of ideas. A change or a rebuild was necessary (although not necessarily both).
Do you think Newcastle United would have had more or less chance of having a successful 2026/27 season if Eddie Howe had stayed?
I was not #HoweOut and would have loved nothing more than for him to prove the doubters wrong. That said, Howe’s Newcastle team in 25/26 showed obvious decline. Fixture congestion and tiredness were obvious reasons for a poor showing, but even after Newcastle had unceremoniously exited from the Champions League, results and performances did not improve. The big issue was the lack of adaptability. All season, the team struggled to break down low blocks, conceded costly late goals and lacked creativity in the final third. These are the hallmarks of a team that had been become predictable and stale.
What is more, I worry that the definition of success for Howe would have been greater than it will be for Matthias Jaissle. We have seen that Howe can lead teams to cup finals and Champions League places. We have seen that he can transform squad players to winners. Last season though, we also saw where it could go wrong. #HoweOut existed for a reason. The Isak saga caused upheaval, but we have also seen upheaval this summer and sympathy for Howe would have been in short supply. Every game would have been a referendum on his tenure. Honestly, I suspect the narrative following the recent friendly results would have been very different.
Do you see a potential lack of leadership on the pitch next season with Bruno Guimaraes following Kieran Trippier out of the club?
Absolutely. They were the two pillars of the clubs leadership group. They set standards both off and on the pitch. To lose both this transfer window and to not replace them with experienced Premier League players is a huge risk.
The opening six league games are Liverpool home, Spurs away, Bournemouth home, Leeds away, Hull home and Coventry away. How many points would Newcastle need to take for you to be happy and what would you predict will be the reality?
Delighted with 10.
Happy with 6.
Probably 4.
Actually 1.
What do you see as the biggest priorities in the remainder of the transfer market this summer?
Where to start?
We desperately need backup at full-back.
Having read an article on Matthias Jaissle’s style of play, I would suggest we also need some pace (and strength) at centre-back.
Creativity and goals from the midfield / wings.
With so much change, how do you currently feel when it comes to balancing fears of the end of a relatively successful era and hopes of the dawning of the chance of a new successful different era? (So if you have 100% fears and 0% hopes that would be 100/0, if feeling 60% fear and 40% hope then 60/40)
75/25
Anthony Gordon leaving, your thoughts?
He should have left when Liverpool were interested. He did well for us while he was here and ultimately, I wish him the best with his career.
Sandro Tonali leaving, your thoughts?
Honestly, he was a good player for us, but he is not the world class midfield general that some make him out to be. I can only think of a handful of games where he controlled the game. It’s the other guy that we’ll really miss.
Tonali came to Newcastle to progress his career and use us as a stepping stone. I find it fitting he has ended up at Spurs.
By say Christmas and with all players fit, what do you predict will be the Newcastle United first choice eleven for the 2026/27 season and please put ‘new signing’ in any position where you think that will turn out to be the case.
Horníček, Tino, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, ‘new signing’, Miley, Ramsey, ‘new signing’, Toure, Wissa
What would represent success now in the 2026/27 season for Newcastle United?
Mid table and a good cup run.
What do you now see as the minimum Newcastle United need to achieve this coming season?
Survival and winning the Home Derby
Predict the top six in the Premier League (in order) and which three clubs will be relegated in 2026/27.
Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea
Hull, Ipswich, Coventry
Some time ago Yasir Al-Rumayyan said the intention was to make Newcastle United number one in the world, how far along the road to that do you think we are?
Making progress – slowly.
The club have expanded their commercial revenue significantly and further renovations of stadium facilities should bring in further match-day revenue. However, the club will not become an elite club until they address the big-ticket items and start regularly qualifying for Europe.
A new stadium would vastly increase match-going revenue and allow for additional sponsorship. A new best-in-class training ground would help the club create an elite culture, develop players and would make us more attractive to potential signings.
The team also needs to start regularly qualifying for European competitions. Elite teams are in Europe year on year.
This season, the club could significantly make progress by announcing the stadium and breaking ground on a new training ground. However, I suspect this will be a transitional year off the pitch.
NUFC CEO David Hopkinson said the intention is that by 2030 the club will be competing to win all competitions. What do you make of what he said?
I like the fact that Hopkinson is ambitious, but that is three seasons away. I hope this ambition comes with action on and off the pitch, because even we think it is a delusional statement.
How would you rate your optimism for next season at Newcastle United from 0-100?
As we have already discussed potential success, I’m going to rate my personal enthusiasm for this season starting. I would say it is currently at 50%. The enthusiasm I have for having a day out with the lads and catching up with them is being tempered by the reality of having to watch Newcastle face off against Isak’s Liverpool.
I was sent a meme on WhatsApp after the Everton game. It was an image of Tintin and Captain Haddock. Captain Haddock, in this season’s home shirt, sits over a countertop looking exhausted. The caption coming from him reads “What a season, huh?” and Tintin responds, “It hasn’t started yet.” That’s exactly how I feel.
How important (or not) is a huge new stadium for Newcastle United?
I am sick of hearing the phrases PSR and SCR. For my sanity, can they just build it already!
When the takeover happened on 7 October 2021, if somebody at that point had told you then what would happen by August 2026, would you have taken it?
Absolutely.
Bruno Guimaraes wanting to leave Newcastle United after four and a half years, has that changed your opinion of him as a person?
Not really.
I am disappointed he went to Arsenal, but if anyone deserves the chance to compete for titles it’s him. He was captain of the most successful Newcastle United team that I have seen in my lifetime, and for that I will always be grateful. I also understand though that I might be in a minority and that a lot of Newcastle fans are upset at his decision to leave.
I can fully understand the anger. I felt it last season when Isak refused to play. When he went on strike. In my opinion, Bruno didn’t do that. He returned to the club on time and travelled to the La Manga training camp. He asked to leave so he can compete for trophies and I won’t hold it against him. I also wouldn’t hold it against him if he moved for more money. He was on good money at Newcastle, but financial rules dictate that we cannot pay as much as Arsenal. This is likely the last big contract he will sign, I hope for his sake he rinsed Arsenal for all he could.
In the fullness of time, I still think he will be considered a club icon.
Do you think the Newcastle United owners have a strong long-term plan for the club, or are they making it up as they go along?
The ownership has long-term strategic goals they want to achieve. When Yasir Al-Rumayyan said he wants Newcastle to be number 1, that is what he was referring to.
We also have been told the short-term and medium-term strategic goals. Increase commercial revenue, improve the club’s global brand, build best-in-class infrastructure, create a football ecosystem that guarantees constant success and turn Newcastle into an ‘elite’ club.
The rules in place mean that, if Newcastle are to pay the wages and transfer fees required to become an ‘elite’ club, they must significantly increase their commercial revenue. Efforts to achieve this are already well underway. The club has continued to invest in its hospitality offering to increase matchday revenue, while the Knox deal demonstrates its ability to attract sponsorship agreements. The recent crest poll is another part of the wider effort to strengthen the Newcastle United brand and take it to a global audience. This has also been accelerated, with the club hoping that the new crest will feature on next season’s kits. Ultimately, however, becoming an elite club will depend on success on the pitch. These objectives are symbiotic: commercial growth enables sporting success, while sporting success will drive further commercial growth.
What do you think of the choice of Matthias Jaissle as the new NUFC boss?
I was excited until Everton…
That isn’t fair. Yes, I am excited. From the articles I have read and the videos I have watched that outline how he built success at previous clubs, I am excited. While being a product of the Red Bull system, throughout his career he has shown a tactical flexibility that can bring out the best of the players at his disposal.
I don’t envy Jaissle. He’s been asked to do a very difficult job in replacing a successful manager and has been given very little time to get the best of the players or to embed his philosophy. I think it will take time, and I don’t expect that we will start the season well, but hopefully it will eventually turn into a successful tenure at the club.
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