Kevin Nolan admits he had big concerns over Newcastle United before the season got under way

Former Newcastle United captain Kevin Nolan has backed his old side to 'get cracking' again if they can strengthen their side in the January transfer window.

The popular ex-midfield, who will always be a hero on Tyneside for his hat-trick against Sunderland in the famous 5-1 derby win in 2010, admits he was worried about his old side before the season got under way.

Newcastle have a turbulent summer, with Matthias Jaissle replacing Eddie Howe as head coach in August, and star players Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Burno Guimaraes leaving the club.

United brought eight new players to St James' Park, but only one, ex-Man City midfielder Nico Gonzalez, had any Premier League experience, with youth potential the main focus of the recuitment policy.

However, Nolan, who scored 30 goals in 91 appearances for Newcastle, feels things could move in the right direction soon, provided they can add some more additions in the January transfer window.

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"I must admit when I watched Newcastle before the season started, I feared for them. There was a lot going on, a lot of outgoings and youngsters coming in," Nolan told the latest edition of Footy Accumulators No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, in partnership with BOYLE Sports.

"If they can get through this season, build in January with a couple of players and more in the summer, I feel like he could get it cracking again.

"It's going to be an up-and-down one for the Newcastle fans, but if I were them I would take a mid-table finish, I would snap your hands off for that.

Nolan was speaking with former United coach Derek Fazackerley, who was a key figure in Kevin Keegan's backroom staff throughout the Entertainers era.

Fazackerley shared Nolan's concerns, and insists a mid-table finish would not be a disaster given what happened in the summer.

"With the players they had lost in the summer, I thought it was going to be a tough year for them anyway, no doubt about that," he said.

"A new manager coming in from abroad who hadn't experienced the Premier League,

"If they can establish themselves in the middle of the table this year, which might not be good enough for the Newcastle fans, but it would certainly be a respectable position for the club."

"It's a very, very difficult job for Jaissle, but if he can sustain them in and around the middle of the table with maybe an outside chance of pushing for one of the European places then it would be a fantastic achievement."