The pre-season talk was of a challenge for a top ten place, maybe a positive run in one of the cup competitions, and most of all, building on the unquestionable momentum that had been built up during the second half of the previous season as Eddie Howe’s side burst away from the relegation zone to secure a mid-table finish.
The summer additions of Nick Pope, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak raised hopes of a positive season but nobody could have predicted what would come to pass as the Magpies reached their first major cup final since 1999 and secured a top four place to end their two-decade absence from the Premier League.
One major aspect of the season was the fine support Howe and his players received on their home patch and in away ends around the country - but how does United’s average attendance at St James Park compare to some of the biggest clubs in Europe?
