Former Newcastle United chairman Sir John Hall is saddened by the club's demise.
Sir John is still fondly remembered by Toon fans for appointing Kevin Keegan as manager in 1992 and providing the investment which saw the Geordies come desperately close in 1996 to winning the title for the first time in 69 years.
Under Sir John and successor Freddy Shepherd, Newcastle also reached two FA Cup finals and regularly played in Europe.
"Let's face it, Newcastle are a million miles away from challenging for titles today," he told the Daily Star.
"This season is all about pulling away from the relegation zone and climbing up the table.
"Beat Leicester and we'll rise a few places and suddenly things will look a whole lot better. Lose and it could be a long, hard winter.
"History tells us that if we're in the same position at Christmas, it will be a real struggle to get out of it."
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