I don't expect anything else from Chris Hughton ... because he wouldn't have the job he has if he didn't 'lick arse' ... and there's no-one better at it.
But I think we should have a reality check as to why we are currently fighting our way out of the Championship ... a league we should NOT be in.
We had just held our own against Man Utd at Old Trafford, came away with a point (when it could well have been three), then beat Bolton at home and Coventry away in the Carling Cup.
Everyone was looking to the stars ... then Kevin Keegan packed up and headed for Central station because Dennis Wise brought in players KK had never even heard of!
Ashley stood his ground, backed Wise, and we ended the season relegated.
Hughton, this week, has praised owner Mike Ashley for keeping the club afloat ... and I was talking to some fans last night who are starting to hail the owner as the saviour of the club!
When we should be asking what happened to the millions that came into the club when the big name stars went AWOL ... Given, N'Zogia, Bassong, Beye, Milner, Duff, Martins, etc.
The Magpies owner was in the firing line of a furious fans' backlash back in September, but he has had media backing in recent weeks ... and suddenly the sun shines out of his arse.
ON THE OTHER HAND ...
As I promised those Toon fans last night ... I have to show the plight of other clubs that have had difficult times ... worse than ourselves ...
CHESTER CITY
Chester City have been expelled from the Football Conference.
The Football Conference board recommended the action against the league's bottom club at a meeting of member clubs at Rushden & Diamonds on Friday morning.
A statement read: "Member clubs of the Football Conference, at a general meeting held today, voted in support of the board of directors' recommendation to erase Chester City (2004) FC Ltd from membership in accordance with Article 5.2."
Earlier this month the club were suspended from the Conference after failing to fulfil their fixtures against Forest Green and Wrexham, and had been asked to prove that such a situation would not arise again.
Chester were unable to field a team for their game at Forest Green after unpaid players refused to get on the team bus.
They were also forced to postpone the derby clash with Wrexham because the local authority issued a prohibition notice on the Deva Stadium after police refused to man the game over an unpaid bill.
Chester were handed a 25-point penalty after falling into administration last summer and were a whopping 33 points adrift of safety.
They faced a winding-up order from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs last month but were handed a 42-day adjournment, and the club was also put up for sale for £1.
A Conference spokesman confirmed Chester's record would be expunged.
PORTSMOUTH
Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou has promised supporters he will save the south coast side.
The club have gone into administration with debts of £70million and Andronikou, an insolvency practitioner from UHY Hacker Young, now has the job of assessing the extent of the damage along with colleague Peter Kubik.
Andronikou said in a statement: "We are looking to immediately address the significant monthly tax burden of the club by implementing a swift cost rationalisation programme.
"Every aspect of the club's overheads will be reviewed and scrutinised. Our aim is to maximise all revenues and to eradicate all unnecessary costs.
"We have many difficult decisions to make in next few days. I promise you we will save your club and take you forward."