Toon Army defiant in defeat

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The Toon Army blame owner Mike Ashley for their team's predicament

Newcastle United's 16-year stay in the Premier League ended with a 1-0 defeat away to Aston Villa. The BBC's <i>Chris Buckler</i> reports from St James' Park, where many fans had gathered praying their season would have a different ending.

At St James' Park the fans were defiant in defeat but the chants failed to mask the bitter disappointment.

They had gathered at Newcastle's stadium to watch the away match on big screen TVs inside Shearer's - the bar named after their manager and potential hero.

Alan Shearer had joined them with only eight games left in the season.

'Worst thing'

The supporters were sure that was enough time to save them from relegation - some even dared to talk about how different the next Premier League season would be.

The fairytale did not come true. Newcastle may be used to being in the top flight of football but next season they are a club in the Championship.

"I am 21 in two weeks time and this is the worst thing that has happened in my whole life," said one of the dedicated but despondent followers.

"But we will be back. If you look at that stadium there are 52,000 people there every single week

"All the Championship players are going to want to play for Newcastle."

Other fans were angry and they were sure they knew who to blame - Mike Ashley, the billionaire businessman who owns the club.

Fantasy

Although the words shouted about Mr Ashley outside St James', used rather more obscene terms to describe him.

Many Newcastle fans hope Alan Shearer will stay on as manager

The Toon Army - as the team's fans are known - claim he was responsible for "King" Kevin Keegan walking out as manager in September. That, they say, started the spiral that led to them falling into the bottom three.

Mike Ashley has said he is willing to sell the club but he wants up to £300 million for it. Now that Newcastle are in the Championship that is a figure of complete fantasy. The fans and Ashley seem stuck together in an unhappy marriage, for now at least.

In front of the television cameras the many die-hard supporters were determined to show they were still loyal, waving flags and singing optimistic songs.

They shouted one name more than any other - Alan Shearer's. They say he has made a real difference in less than two months and they believe that if he stays with the club he will be able to raise them back up into the Premier League.

"The players have not performed to their best but when Alan Shearer came back, team spirit came back," insisted one man wearing the black and white colours of his team.

"There just hasn't been enough games to show it. All we can do is back them and hope for the best."

Even in the raw aftermath of relegation nothing shook the optimism of these fans, but even they must realise that in the 2008/9 season it was Newcastle who deserved the title "the Damned United".