Newcastle seemed shipwrecked three years ago – now they have the wind in their sails

Rafael Benitez has been at its centre, a unifying and calming presence, and around him has been astute transfer business that has rarely been given credit

Jonjo Shelvey celebrates victory over Leicester (AFP/Getty Images)

The north east corner of the King Power Stadium was empty, bar around a dozen supporters from Newcastle. A banner was unfurled and finger tips shimmied back to make sure the message could be read properly.

"We don’t demand a team that wins," it stated, "We demand a club that tries."

It was May 2015 and Newcastle had just fallen to their eighth straight defeat. Mike Williamson had been sent off and later accused by John Carver, the interim Newcastle manager, of doing it deliberately. Daryl Janmaat had also seen red for two bookable offences. Nine men. No heart. The club was two points from the Premier League relegation zone, with just three games of the season remaining.

Once more, Newcastle United was an angry football club, upset, hurt, bleeding, on the ropes.

When the final whistle went on Saturday, Ayoze Perez was afforded a form of a guard of honour, allowed time on his own to embrace the adulation of 3200 absolutely delirious Newcastle supporters who filled the same area of the same stadium and seemed in no hurry to go home or to lament anyone in black and white for not trying.

Perez, who had produced an exquisite finish to chip Kasper Schmeichel with a one-touch lob from a long ball from Florian Lejeune, in the 75th minute, stood and waved his arms. Newcastle had moved 10th in the table and there was euphoria; in victory, with form, and more so with unity.

Stage right, and waiting, was Rafa Benitez, whispering tactical secrets in his players’ ears, as one by one, they threw their black and white sweat stained shirts into the eager travelling support, not one of whom had left.

Ayoze Perez scored in Newcastle’s win over Leicester (Getty)

There are times you have to force the parallel, to find a strand, but it was not then, at ten to five, in Leicester, with Newcastle United back punching its weight in the top division of English football.

Just under three years after darkness was light. Full value for victory, a fourth win in six Premier League games, 13 points from 18, 38 for the season, safe as houses after an early goal from Jonjo Shelvey, followed by Perez’s lob, a reply from Jamie Vardy inconsequential.

There could have been a penalty for a trip from Paul Dummett on Riyad Mahrez, but Harry Maguire should have been sent off earlier for violent conduct when he thrust his hand into the face of Dwight Gayle.

It was the relentlessness of the visitors’ desire that sat at such a contrast to what had happened on the same pitch three years earlier. In an incredible 25 second spell at Leicester during the second half, Newcastle’s players made nine challenges, five of them proper, old fashioned bone crunching 50-50s and for each one, the roar from the north east corner of the stadium grew.

Throughout, once more, the manager cajoled and tutored his team and he looked genuinely delighted in the afterglow of victory. There have been long hours to turn a football club around, Benitez has been at its centre, a unifying and calming presence, and around him has been astute transfer business that has rarely been given credit.

The club had to hollow out a rotten core and to create such unity in such a small space of time is an achievement that should not be understated.

“The work rate, the team spirit, the mentality, the commitment of the players, and of the fans, they were together, was fantastic,” enthused Benitez. “I’m pleased with everything. The players work so hard, they were so disciplined, they knew exactly what they had to do, they were trying their best.

“I have to say congratulations to my players and I have to say congratulations to our fans. It was a connection between everyone.”

Three years ago the club looked shipwrecked. Two years ago, when Benitez joined, in his first game, Leicester were heading for the Premier League title and Newcastle were heading for relegation when the sides met.

There were five points between the two teams when the supporters and players celebrated on Saturday evening. Newcastle United looks like a football club with fresh wind in its sails.