Premiership / Paul Moon / 26 April 2010 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Paul Moon thinks the return of Newcastle to the Premier League is good for the game but Chris Hughton needs to strengthen the squad, let a few familar faces go and learn from what happened last time out if they're to come out of next season unscathed...

Clichés aside, most neutrals would agree that with their fantastic fanbase, stadium and passion for football, Newcastle United deserve their place in the Premier League. So it was heartening to see them clinch the Championship title against Plymouth last weekend and return to the Premier League after just one year.

In recent years Newcastle has been pilloried for the manner and casual disregard in which the club has been run. The situation was so dire many thought that they were following the same path of self-destruction as Leeds United previously. Fortunately they have halted their own free fall and a new wave of optimism is sweeping across St James' Park but only time will tell if all the lessons of previous debacles have been learnt.

Despite success in the Championship, there are some obvious areas of concern that must be addressed in the summer. Surprisingly, 21 of the 30 players in the Newcastle squad are English and many of these are very young, with little experience the of biggest occasions. There is an evident lack of quality and requisite class that will leave the team exposed without measured and well-thought out signings to bolster them. This season's team spirit and purpose can only take you so far.

There is a need for at least four new signings. A handshake, thank you and goodbye should be offered to at least five others currently on contract. To save himself, manager Chris Hughton must act decisively and axe Joey Barton, Fabrice Pancrate, Mike Williamson, Leon Best and 35-year-oldNicky Butt, although the latter could remain at the club in a non-playing capacity.

As with most clubs, finding a player to score goals regularly is essential. Andy Carroll has potential, strength and awareness but he is young and still learning his trade so may not be ready just yet to lead the line in the top division. Shola Ameobi is deemed second choice to him so the need to sign a quality striker is paramount. A centre-half and an influential midfielder are also on the shopping list. In the medium to longer-term, goalkeeper Steve Harper will need replacing.

The balance of getting quality, yet keeping unity, is the single biggest challenge to manager Chris Hughton. To his credit, last year he got rid of those who did not want to play for Newcastle and kept those who were ready to fight when the chips were down. This time around he has to be even braver by releasing some of those who have contributed to this season's success, but who are not of the necessary quality for the Premier League.

There will be calls for a bigger name to manage the club but these should be rejected. After stabilising a club in chaos in the Championship, it will be interesting to see how Hughton copes with the intense pressure of the Premier League but he deserves the chance to test himself and funds must be made available immediately. It is worth remembering that individually the squad was better last year and still got relegated!

With the recent history and inherent nature of Newcastle it is always a worry that there may be more turmoil ahead. The club was up for sale at one point and it is fair to question the commitment of the owner. The worst excesses and mistakes emanated from his direction and it is almost impossible to know if he has learned the lessons of football ownership. The need for planning, investment and measured decision-making are aspects beyond Hughton's control and these facts will ultimately decide whether Newcastle become whole again.

Success for the team next season will be to finish it unscathed, to considerably improve the quality of the squad and avoid a relegation dogfight. Realism (amongst directors as well as fans) must replace high expectation and anywhere between 12th and 16th position would be considered an achievement. Who will go up with Newcastle and WBA and experience the dizzy heights of Premier League football next term? Latest Betfair prices shows it to be very open: Nottingham Forest [3.6] Cardiff [3.85] Leicester [4.3] Blackpool [5.4] Swansea [7.2].