‘Everyone loves coming to St James’ Park – it’s a massive club’

JEFF Stelling thinks the Premier League is a better place when Newcastle United are doing well, and with Rafa Benitez as manager, he is confident they will next season – but he would be happier still if they pushed through a few more signings.

So far, the only buy Benitez has made since winning last term’s Championship title was when he turned winger Christian Atsu’s loan from Chelsea into a permanent deal.

But Stelling has faith in the Spaniard to re-establish the Magpies as the club they should be – and the one he thinks most football fans want them to be.

“It’s a massive football club,” said the Sky Sports presenter, who got to see what the mood was like himself when he completed his 15 marathon walks in as many days for Prostate Cancer UK by striding into the home of the Magpies.

“Everyone loves coming to St James’ Park and everybody loves it when the Toon Army goes to their ground as well because they’re fantastic fans.

“Let’s hope this time they’ve got a fantastic team to go with them.

“They’ve got a top manager in Rafa Benitez, somebody I know and I’ve got a lot of time for. I’d like to see them making a few signings in the near future but I think they’ll have a rock-solid season in the Premier League.”

Newcastle were relegated for the top flight last summer for the second time in seven years.

They appointed Benitez as manager in March 2016. The arrival of the former Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Chelsea boss came too late to stop the relegation, but his presence has reinvigorated the club.

Last season, Newcastle’s average home attendance was higher in the Football League than it had been in the previous Premier League campaign.

Benitez has been promised he will have big money to spend in this transfer window, but he is still weighing up a number of targets.

St James’ Park was the last of 40 football grounds the Hartlepool United fan visited on Jeff’s March for Men as he walked from its namesake in Exeter.