After years of close calls, season after season, Newcastle are finally on their way down.

There's actually no shame in going down, considering how much time we’ve had to prepare. This club has been warned repeatedly that this was going to happen. Newcastle has been skirting the relegation zone throughout Steve Bruce's tenure. Now it's unavoidable. Amazingly, this collapse has come just as the sale of the club was finalized. If the sale had to wait until January, would it still be on at this point?

In a way, this is fair to all parties. Previous owner Mike Ashley got his asking price. The new ownership still got a good deal. They thought they were buying into the EPL at a low price. They were mistaken. They were buying into the Championship at a low price. But they will still get richer. Worry not.

This club is going down. I have accepted this already. I suggest we all do. If Newcastle were to earn 35 points starting after the November international break, it would be a historic season save. A surge in points that would be remembered for years. But that's not happening.

What we should be passionate about is the rebuilding of the club and the plan to get it back into the EPL as a strong contender for cups. We won't just come back. We will dominate the lower half of the table and get back into the Europa League.

The next 20 months and beyond are going to be entertaining and very enjoyable compared to the Ashley era. Enjoy it, Lads. We will fall and rise together. Enjoy the ride. Alan Shearer will, despite his slightly intoxicated gaffe, below:.