Reporter's notebook: How Newcastle have been transformed by Howe

Sky Sports News' Keith Downie examines how the appointment of Eddie Howe has revived Newcastle, transformed the outlook for the future and restored hope at St James' Park...

It was knocking on 11.30pm after a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace night as Eddie Howe stood in the shadow of the Sir Bobby Robson statue at St James' Park posing for pictures with the gaggle of fans who had waited behind to greet the Newcastle manager.

He was pretty much the last person to leave the stadium - having earlier led Newcastle to their sixth home win in a row. It was the first time any Magpies team had achieved that feat since 2004 - when the club was then led by the legendary Sir Bobby himself.

Spending time with the fans who had waited in the cold for two hours just to say hello was also the sort of thing the former England boss would do.

"In Howe We Trust" is the phrase on every Newcastle fan's lips, such is the turnaround since the turn of the year - and the stats show exactly why. The change in mood, hope and togetherness has also been down to the manager.

Since the turn of the year, Newcastle sit second in the Premier League form table - behind only Liverpool. Since January 22 they've taken 28 points form a possible 39. They've won nine out of 13.

No other team in Premier League history has survived after failing to win any of their opening 14 games. Howe's Newcastle have dragged themselves to safety with five games to spare.

It hasn't all been plain sailing, though. Early in Howe's tenure they returned a 11-1 deficit in successive matches against Leicester, Liverpool and Man City; they then faced the ignominy of being dumped out of the FA Cup at home by League One side Cambridge United; and a 'must-win' home clash against