On 7 October, Newcastle United will celebrate the anniversary of the departure of their unpopular owner Mike Ashley.
When Ashley bought Newcastle, he inherited a team that had only been playing UEFA Cup football just two months prior to his arrival in May 2007.
In the years leading up to his takeover the Magpies had regularly competed in either the UEFA Cup or the Champions League and had even flirted with the Premier League title under both Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson.
But Ashley's years in large represented a dark chapter in Newcastle’s history as they suffered relegation from the Premier League on two separate occasions whilst only finishing inside the top half of the Premier League on three occasions.
However, there were still some memorable moments along the way including two Championship title triumphs, a fifth place finish against the odds and an adventure into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
With that in mind, we take a look back at the best combined 11 of players to have represented Newcastle during the Mike Ashley era.
This list is based solely on the player’s performances during Ashley’s time at the club. Therefore the likes of goalkeeper Shay Given who thrived before his arrival, and Joelinton who has enjoyed a redemption since his departure have not been included in this XI.
5. CDM: Cheik Tiote
Ivory Coast midfielder Cheik Tiote was a vital part of the Newcastle team which qualified for Europe in 2012. The former FC Twente man was blessed with tremendous strength, power and exuberance, which allowed midfield partner Yohan Cabaye to thrive further up the pitch. | AFP via Getty Images
6. CM: Yohan Cabaye
French international Yohan Cabaye was an elegant midfielder with excellent passing range, technical skill and the ability to strike a ball brilliantly from distance. He was a firm fan-favourite throughout his two and a half years at St James' Park and left the club to join PSG for a huge profit in 2014. | Getty Images
7. CM: Kevin Nolan
Former Bolton Wanderers star Kevin Nolan played a defining role in Newcastle's Championship title triumph as captain and scored an incredible 17 goals from midfield in 2009/10. The experienced midfielder continued this impressive form with a further 12 goals in the club's first season back in the top-flight and even wrote his name into the history books with a hat-trick in a 5-1 Tyne-Wear derby win. | Getty Images
8. LM: Hatem Ben Arfa
In terms of pure technical ability, there is few player Newcastle stars that can match Hatem Ben Arfa in full flow. The Frenchman arrived for just £5m after an injury-hit loan spell and played a crucial role in the team's fifth place finish. He is best remembered for incredible long distance strikes against Everton and Aston Villa along with solo goals against Blackburn Rovers and Bolton. | Getty Images