When Eddie Howe walked into Newcastle, he as good as walked into a wall. Several, in fact.
Think of any big away ground in the country, including Wembley, and the club’s record there was a losing one. These venues were landmarks of trauma.
Indeed, fans could remember the dates of victories the same way they could their children’s birthdays. December 7, 2013. Their only win at Old Trafford since 1972. Likewise, there had been only one win at the Emirates Stadium. Go back to 1955 for the last Wembley triumph.
These were the walls Howe looked up at, mental barriers that had started to feel forever insurmountable.