'Howe deserved everything from them'

Former Newcastle midfielder Dan Gosling has said "discontent" had been building at the club since the start of last season. Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, Gosling said: "Newcastle end up getting second or third-place targets - again. It seems to be happening again and again. It is a difficult place to be as manager. "After what he [Eddie Howe] had done to bring two Champions League qualifications and to win a trophy, I think he deserved everything from them." Gosling said the Magpies' 2025 summer buys were the main reason for Newcastle's poor 2025-26 campaign. "The players that have come in to replace the guys that have left the building didn't really hit the heights of those players, and they just never seemed to gel last season at all." Gosling added that everything had "gone south slowly" when Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi sold their 6% stake in the club in July 2024. "Maybe he has not felt the love since Amanda left. I felt they had a really strong relationship and, ever since she left, it has kind of gone south slowly." Hit play above to hear more from Gosling or listen on BBC Sounds here Watch below as ex-Magpies defender John Anderson gives his reaction, saying Howe looked a "tired man" after pre-season games... Explore more Newcastle United content on BBC Sounds