Paul Mitchell was very much the choice of CEO Darren Eales but why did the arrival of one of the game's top sporting directors not hit the full heights when it comes to recruitment?
The curtain has come down on sporting director Paul Mitchell's time at St James' Park with the former Monaco supremo not going out with a bang.
His stint in charge lasted just 361 days with Newcastle's record with sporting directors still nothing to write home about. Joe Kinnear was the first to be named in that particular role, with the ex-Wimbledon boss lasting between pre-season 2013 and winter 2014.
In that time, Kinnear oversaw the sale of Yohan Cabaye and struggled to grasp the role before a quiet departure following clashes with Alan Pardew. It took Newcastle until the new era to appoint a modern-day sporting director and they paid good money to get one in 2022.
In Dan Ashworth, the man from Brighton & Hove Albion, was deemed a "best in class" appointment, but his time at Newcastle would end in disappointment. The ex-FA man was pushed out to explain the signing of Sandro Tonali after the Italy international, bought on his watch, served a ban for bets made during his time at AC Milan.
As the £55million star began his 10-month global suspension, Ashworth told a room of journalists at the training ground: "First of all, I look at myself." By winter 2024, one too many links with Manchester United resulted in an investigation behind the scenes at Newcastle before his departure.
Head coach Eddie Howe felt it was right that Ashworth had to go on gardening leave saying at the time, saying: "He is privy to a lot of intelligence and information." Then came Mitchell last summer with Howe under some slight strain after finishing seventh the previous season and missing out on Europe.
It felt like something was brewing as Mitchell emerged with performance coach James Bunce. Were the former Monaco duo here to shake things up? It certainly looked like it as early images on the official website showed the pair watching over training and entering a domain that should be predominantly for first-team coaching staff and the gaffer.
Quotes from his time in charge at Monaco emerged and stories insisting he wanted a say on the style of play at United. His quotes from an interview with The Athletic read: "I like my teams to be a reflection of me; I’d like to say hard-working, a level of humility, controlled aggression and the potential to add physicality."
Suddenly, it felt like things were looking rocky behind the scenes.
Opening line didn't go down well
Mitchell introduced himself to the squad and backroom staff with the words: "I want you to come on an adventure with me".
People around the group felt that Mitchell was speaking like a first-team manager. Style of play and talk of achievements elsewhere had also irked squad members who felt that their successes under Howe were being downplayed.
It felt like Mitchell was already fighting a losing battle with some. He had already frustrated some high profile figures behind the scenes in his opening speech - although others within the club described Mitchell as "excellent".
The Herzogenaurach experience
Newcastle found themselves based at the Adidas HQ in Germany with Mitchell jetting in with the team for the training camp. He stepped off the plane wearing a Boss polo shirt while the rest of his staff wore Newcastle tracksuits.
There were no images of Mitchell and Howe unveiled together and eventually almost apologetic pictures emerged of the head coach and the new sporting director appearing to have a laugh.
However, it did not take long for talk of tension to emerge as Howe spoke about "boundaries" and needing to be happy. He told reporters in Germany: "So, as long as I am happy, feel supported, feel free to work in the way that I want to work, I have not thought of anything else other than Newcastle."
Those were strong quotes for somebody who had just triggered a new contract extension - and if Newcastle were desperate for new signings, why was Mitchell at the Adidas camp for so long anyway?
Incomplete business
The biggest piece of business that Mitchell was thought to be involved with was the move for Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi. A deal worth £70m was put on the table but rejected by Palace.
Even the fee was played down by Howe, when pressed by journalists, and Eagles supremo Steve Parish would later go on to say: "If you want a superstar player you've got to play superstar money."
A disastrous meeting with the media
Soon after, assembled journalists turned up at St James' Park in the aftermath of a transfer window that failed to deliver any big-name signings. It was an opportunity to cool the temperature but instead Mitchell said of the scouting network at Newcastle: "'Is it fit for purpose? Not last winter gone, the winter before that.
"Is it fit for purpose in the modern game? Because other clubs that have adopted a different approach over time, with more intelligence, more data-informed than we are, actually prospered in this window. That's where we have to grow to be now."
Mitchell's 'Big Brother' reference
After claims that Mitchell and Howe had not spoken, a fan meeting in November resulted in a public appearance by the ex-Spurs transfer chief, where he attempted to play down his poor rapport levels with Howe.
Mitchell, speaking at the 'We are United' fan event, said he felt like he was watching an episode of TV series Big Brother after being shown social media comments.
He laughed: "I was enjoying 'Eddie and Paul Watch' in September. Day one: Have Eddie and Paul spoken to each other!
"I thought it was quite good commentary. I am not a big social media fan or a media fan in general. But we work closely. It is a natural collaboration; he is the head coach and manager of the club, and I am the sporting director.
"This notion that we are in each other's pockets and spend every working hour in each other's company is wrong. Eddie is an elite professional and it would be remiss of me or any sporting director to be looking over his shoulder, to be on the training pitch or to micromanage somebody that is extremely talented at what he does."
But fans were only feeding off what he'd said in public about the scouting system and Howe's earlier public concerns. Combined with no big transfers, it was looking messy.
Mitchell hinted that the future would be brighter and that the fact he'd arrived in the middle of the summer window had been a factor in the lack of business.
Dry January
Mitchell had joked that every pint sunk at the club's STACK fanzone would contribute to the transfer pot for upcoming windows. He even quipped he'd be up for a Tuesday afternoon session or two with fans to bolster the kitty.
He said in November: "I am trying to work out if it is appropriate to come in (to the STACK) and have a few pints to support PSR for January. Is that one of my new roles?"
"I'll put something on social media please free to join on a Tuesday afternoon.
But the reality was different. It was very much a dry January in terms of transfers, with no senior stars through the door once again, making it three barren windows in a row in terms of senior cash signings.
The end game
As the season wore on, suggestions from fans and observers that there was a difference of opinions behind the scenes started to emerge.
Newcastle won the Carabao Cup and qualified for the Champions League. It is on Mitchell's CV that on his watch the club had their best season in modern history.
There is an argument that fans did not see the full picture and nobody outside the club could see the work at the Academy and with the women's team that went on off stage. Mitchell broke his duck on appearing in team pictures at the end of the season after qualifying for Europe.
But within a few days of the season ending and talks on summer recruitment opening up, it had been announced Mitchell was going.
His closing statement read: "I'm leaving at a time that is right for me and the club, particularly with Darren Eales - someone who I have worked so closely with in my career - moving on soon."
Those behind the scenes insist that Mitchell maintained a great relationship with the owners and that his exit was very much mutual. It is the turbulence in between that will be perhaps spoken whenever recalling his short stint at the top.
In conclusion Mitchell will argue that PSR restrictions have not helped anybody at the club. But what about the five year plan he spoke about when appointed? If signings were supposed to be "90%" of his remit in the words of Darren Eales, why did he not make one marquee signing?
It feels like there are more questions than answers.