Graeme Jones bought Newcastle’s owners and himself a little time with what ranked as ugly improvement at Selhurst Park.
The Magpies would have lost this match seven days earlier, but in taking a point, interim boss Jones proved one thing to Amanda Staveley and Co — he can be trusted to ‘stop the rot’, as he called it.
The word last night was that talks with candidates will continue this week, but an appointment is likely next month. So what priorities await the new man?
Back-foot football
Old boss Steve Bruce made a big play of employing ‘front-foot football’ this season.