Joelinton's remarkable rise is a shining symbol of Newcastle United's revolution under Eddie Howe

We are well and truly into the awards season and two Magpies never on the radar way back when hostilities began are now centre stage after a remarkable personal rise. Joelinton has already been voted Newcastle's Player of the Year while Eddie Howe is nominated for Manager of the Year.

Who could have thought that when Steve Bruce was in charge and Joelinton a non-scoring centre-forward in the early days of desperate despair back in August. It really has been some journey of discovery. Unbelievable.

Big Joe, magnificent in a truly magnificent win over Arsenal, getting Player Of The Year is the biggest success story at United in many a year. Indeed since Steve Howey was switched from centre-forward to centre-half and Jackie Milburn from right winger to centre-forward.

Honestly, it is so deserved because Joelinton has gone from £40m flop weighed down by the expectation of No 9 on his back to a midfield colossus compared to Patrick Vieira. I'm thrilled to bits for him because I was one of his harshest critics when he was a popgun line leader but suggested a change of position could be the answer sparking a change in fortune.

I wrote in the Chronicle on November 10: "There is a suspicion that a player is buried somewhere inside the failed line leader which leads to a tantalising thought that Joelinton could benefit from a complete change of position. He is not a natural finisher, he doesn't like living life in the penalty area, and therefore not an out and out attacker so why not try him in practice matches as, say, a central midfielder playing in front of the back line.

"Big Joe has a decent touch, he is big to block off attacks in the air, he is mobile, and he will better read the game played in front of him. It is certainly