Newcastle United Promoted to Premier League

Newcastle United have won promotion back to the Premier League less than a year after the dismal season that ended their 16-year stay.

On Easter Monday their return to the Premier League was confirmed, before United's game with Sheffield United had begun, as Nottingham Forest were held to a goalless draw by fellow promotion chasers Cardiff City.

Close to 50,000 fans will pack into St James' Park for their game tonight against The Blades, not for the game itself, but instead to celebrate a Newcastle United promotion five games before the end of the season, something their fans haven't been able to do for 45 years.

Toon fans will have to go back to 1965's game against Bolton to remember their club winning promotion at St James' Park; their last promotion to the Premier League coming at Grimsby's Blundell Park in 1993, and promotion to the First Division in 1984 at Huddersfield's Leeds Road.

Toon boss Chris Hughton has been fortunate to have retained a number of experienced players following relegation last season, though many pundits expected an exodus and a typical period of decline.

With the club up for sale, and administration looming at one point, owner Mike Ashley failed to find a buyer and fears existed predicting that Newcastle would become the new Leeds United.

But those players, including experienced internationals Fabricio Coloccini, Jonás Manuel Gutiérrez, Peter Løvenkrands, and Nicky Butt, have helped ensure they bounce back at the first attempt, something they've never done before.

Before the party has even begun in the North East, questions about next season are being asked.

Can they stay up? How much money will Hughton have to spend? How long will Hughton remain in charge? Will Ashley put the club back up for sale?

Compared to other clubs in the Championship, Newcastle United have by far the best squad. The list oozes championship winning medals, international caps, and in the case of Nicky Butt, a Champions League winning medal.

Given their loyalty to the club, and efforts in the Championship this season, it'd be a surprise if any of these leave.

To bolster his squad over the season, Hughton made a number of permanent signings including Mike Williamson from Portsmouth, Danny Simpson from Manchester United, Leon Best from Coventry, and Wayne Routledge from QPR.

All young and largely inexperienced in the Premier League, which has to be on the mind of Hughton as he now looks to safeguard his club's Premier League future.

To survive next season, Ashley or whoever the club owner is, will have to spend money. But it's not a question of how much Hughton is given to spent, but how well he spends it, and how prudent they can remain.

Newcastle's wage bill was crippling when they were relegated and has been slashed since.

The basis of the Newcastle Premier League squad will be a blend of the current experienced players, with new blood from the youth ranks, and select signings from other Premier League clubs.

Elsewhere, sponsorship has already been secured with nationalised bank Northern Rock continuing to provide shirt sponsorship for the next four years (with a review after two years), while the club's shirts and other apparel will be provided by Puma for the next two seasons, following a 15-year relationship with Adidas.

It wouldn't surpise me if Ashley, and managing director Derek Llambias, continue with plans to sell the naming rights for St James' Park, currently held by Ashley's company SportsDirect.com

It's been a rollercoaster couple of years for Newcastle United fans, after years of disappointment, but the mood in Tyneside tonight is certainly buoyant.

It's clear for all to see that Newcastle United are not a Championship club, and from August they'll be back where they rightly belong.

But for how long remains to be seen.