If at that point I had been stood next to him, I would have wanted my old size 11 Dr Martins on, so I could have hoofed him all the way around the Britannia.

The tactics implemented by Steve McClaren were so overtly negative that even the home fans were cheering for something to happen when the visitors got on the ball.

Hope is just about all that is left for Newcastle fans. Lose on Saturday and even that will be gone.

Alan Shearer: “Jack Butland had one very good save at the end there, other than that I can’t remember too many other times when he was troubled.”

Mike Pejic: “Their players were woeful, every time they had a chance to play the pass forward, they didn’t – they passed it back.”

That would be too much. We need a manager, not a gravedigger with an excuse for every hole he digs.

Stoke 1 Newcastle 0: “Based on tonight’s first look at McClaren’s 12 game survival plan I firmly believe he is taking us down.