It was Saturday 23 October 2021 the last time this particular Newcastle United fan travelled alone to our capital city for an away match.

Selhurst Park was the destination.

Back when we had been surviving on dreams for so many years under you know who.

When matchdays home and away had descended into carrying out your moral obligation as a Newcastle United fan, a sense of duty to be endured some might say.

However, that late autumn day was different…the abject darkness had lifted.

All those years of negligence had finally disappeared and this was the first away match under the new Newcastle United owners. To top it all off, we had also seen Steve Bruce sacked three days before this Crystal Palace away game.

By the time Norwood Junction was reached, a certain Craig Hope (of The Mail) was spotted and eagerly quizzed on who our new manager could be? Yes, the excited anticipation was in overdrive as our new era began…

Fast forward just over five years and the same journey beckons as I prepare for this weekend’s trip to West London on my own.

Coach B on the 09.32 to Kings Cross awaits, myself and my liquid friend Bud, an essential travel buddy who always keeps the spirits up, but I fear the journey may feel a bit different to October 2021.

Recent results, more importantly performances, have eerily mirrored the pre-takeover displays under Bruce. This and rumours of dressing room unrest, players ignoring tactics as well as questioning the whole concept of ‘Newcastle United 2.0′, all appear to predict a car crash approaching.

There’s also another international break and these Premier League pauses may well be an unwelcome break for some managers in the English top tier. And if the post-Everton rumours carry any credence, our new boss could be in the firing line.

Matthias Jaissle came with a reputation for attacking, high tempo, pressing football. He also has endorsements from ex-players and served his time under the successful Red Bull umbrella. He’s also been described as a ‘Rock Star’ by our CEO David Hopkinson (another startling observation by our very own rent a gob).

And to be honest, I have got a degree of sympathy with our current Head Coach. Asked to take the reins without a proper pre-season and then to attempt to integrate half a dozen or so 6th formers into the squad, who can allegedly play football, was always going to be a tough ask.

With all the changes in personnel, patience may well be the operative word and the least Jaissle deserves. But what I sense is something different, something that has been on display since Leeds away. There seems to be a growing disconnect between manager and players that appears to be worsening.

It is also obvious to all (except Jaissle) that we aint got the players to suit his favoured system.

Like I said earlier, I thought Leeds away was the beginning of the alarm bells ringing, with no shape, no plan…and it has got a lot worse, save for maybe Hull at home for half an hour. The lack of cutting edge is scary and I can’t even think ahead to 2pm Sunday 6 December.

As I said above though, Matthias Jaissle should not be allowed to shoulder all the blame. With Batman and Robin above him plotting the course of Newcastle United 2.0, any manager below would be entitled to question the plan. I have said it before but Ross Wilson’s gamble on expensive, unheard of European youth players making up the bulk of our summer recruitment bordered on the insane. One would assume NUFC 2.0 was a brainchild of PIF or maybe even Ross Wilson and David Hopkinson themselves, unfortunately there aint a footballing brain to be found in any of the above.

Even though our hierarchy continually say the right things, their actions remain reckless and bemusing. The club feels stagnant and uncared for again, this reflected in the away support that has become apathetic and flat.

I hope I’m wrong but this feels familiar, I fear we’re on the road to nowhere, via Putney Bridge…I’ll see you there.