Will Toon Find It Tough In Championship?
"You have to be up for every game. There are no easy matches. If you do not compete you will be beaten.
"As we have found in the past the extra quality does not always get you there.
"The organisation and the team spirit of the opposition and the fact you are a big scalp can make that difference and you can lose games.
"It is obviously disappointing what has happened to Middlesbrough and I think a lot of people are wondering what they and Newcastle will do.
"I hope they can get the equation right financially so they do not end up in a mess.
"What I do know is that the Premier League demands salaries way above what the Championship can sustain. There is a huge imbalance.
"As Leeds found out if you are stuck with players on huge wages and people do not want to take them on you are losing money hand over fist every week.
"That is the concern for Newcastle and Middlesbrough. We will see how they adjust their squads, who will leave and how they rebuild for next season."