Former Newcastle United striker David Kelly believes his old club can handle successfully their return to the Premier League.

While the top end of the top flight is surely out of range, the United old boy believes the distance between its bottom half and the top of the Championship is narrowing.

"As I say, no promoted team these days can hope to do what Newcastle did in 1993," Kelly told the Sunday Sun.

"And challenging the Man Citys, Evertons and Villas next season is also too much to expect.

"But I think that with a bit of wise investment in a few areas, they (Newcastle) could possibly get in or around the top 10.

"Obviously, the Premier League is still a very tough proposition for teams coming out of the Championship, but I do think it's a little less daunting than maybe it was five or six years ago.

"Look at the Wolves. They've done brilliantly to give themselves a fantastic chance of surviving quite comfortably, despite Mick McCarthy - who's done a fantastic job - having not really spent money.

"It can be done, and the one thing Newcastle have on most clubs is the size of their support."