Newcastle United chairman Chris Mort insists stability is needed at the club.

Before yesterday's 3-0 defeat by Liverpool, Mort told the Evening Chronicle: "There have been a lot of changes in terms of coaches and the board - everything has changed.

"We have a lot of new players here too. But if we are going to be successful over a whole host of areas then stability is going to be very important.

"Not just the identity of the manager, but getting the defence working as a unit and all sorts of other aspects of the club.

"If we have stability, all sorts of other areas of the club will benefit."

He added: "We all would love big European nights here.

"We have 50,000 fans at St James's Park who would love European football and the chance to go to games on the Continent as well.

"If we are to take the club forward, European football is something we would like to return to Newcastle.

"It would be wrong to say Sam is going to deliver it this year or put timescales on what we are trying to do.

"We are taking it forward and we realise that we are one of the clubs that should be playing football on a regular basis in Europe."