North East | A Newcastle Season Ticket holder reflects on a disappointing campaign

No Champions League qualification and a bottom half finish...

Season Ticket holder Anthony Gates reflects on a poor season for Newcastle United 

The most significant moment of the season, for better or worse, was...

The collapse at the Nou Camp in March. Newcastle had competed admirably during the opening 45 minutes against Barcelona, having come within moments of securing a famous first-leg victory at St James' Park in this Champions League last-16 tie. What followed after the break in Spain, however, changed the narrative entirely. A crushing 7-2 defeat left Eddie Howe's side with enduring scars and marked one of the darkest moments of their campaign.

The season has been a success or failure because...

Newcastle failed to secure European qualification despite there being eight places available. Reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League and a third League Cup semi-final in four years represented respectable achievements, but too many domestic defeats ultimately undermined their progress. Viewed in that context, the season has to be regarded as a disappointment.

What was the highlight of the season?

It was probably the win over Manchester United. As good as that was though, you'd have to question where that level of performance was for the rest of the campaign. After that, some of the Champions League performances were ok and perhaps gives us all hope that we  can compete at that high level.

The unsung hero of the season is...

Harvey Barnes. It may seem an unusual selection given he is Newcastle's second-highest scorer across all competitions, but Barnes has often operated away from the spotlight. Time and again he has delivered important goals and contributions when his side needed them most.

If there is a player or member of staff with more to do in future, it is...

Yoane Wissa. The striker has scored only three times since his £55m move from Brentford. A serious knee injury and a disrupted pre-season did not help his cause, but Newcastle have seen too few signs of the prolific forward who impressed so consistently elsewhere last season.

The major club issue or talking point lurking is...

The scale of the rebuild required this summer. Following a turbulent transfer window last year, Newcastle face another pivotal period. Without the financial muscle of the division's biggest spenders and with no European football to offer, recruitment will be a considerable challenge. After such a bruising campaign, getting it right is essential.

The reason for hope going forward is...

Newcastle finally have a settled executive structure following the appointments of chief executive David Hopkinson and sporting director Ross Wilson. Whether it is navigating the transfer market or delivering progress on key infrastructure projects, the pair now have the opportunity to provide stability and help steer the club back in the right direction.