NEWCASTLE: After one season in the English Champi­onship, Newcastle United secured an immediate return to the Premier League by beating Preston North End 4-1 on Monday.

Under Rafa Benitez, the former Liverpool manager who won the Champions League during his time at Anfield, Newcastle enjoyed an impressive season although two defeats and a draw in their last three league games led to a few nerves at the north-east club.

One of England’s best supported clubs which regularly attracts crowds more than 50,000 for home games, Newcastle sealed promotion with two matches remaining.

Championship leaders Brighton & Hove Albion secured one of the two automatic promotion places a week ago. Brighton lead Newcastle by four points.

Benitez was unable to save Newcastle from relegation last season after being appointed for the last 10 games, but decided not to activate a clause in his three-year contract allowing him to leave if the club was demoted.

The former Real Madrid manager, after meetings with owner Mike Ashley and managing director Lee Charnley, announced his intention to stay in May and his decision has been vindicated.

Despite selling Dutch midfielder Gini Wijnaldum to Liverpool for a reported 25 million pounds following relegation, Benitez has acted astutely in the transfer market.

The signings of striker Dwight Gayle from Crystal Palace and Scotland winger Matt Ritchie from Bournemouth have paid dividends, with Gayle scoring 22 league goals and Ritchie 12.

“It is brilliant,” said Ritchie. “It was a little bit tense but the lads always believed. We are disappointed not to be top of the league but hopefully we will put Brighton under a bit of pressure by winning our next match on Friday [at Cardiff City].”

An awful start to the season when Newcastle lost their opening two league games was quickly erased with five successive wins, creating a momentum that stalled only in the past month, on the verge of promotion. They got there in the end.

For 57-year-old Benitez there was a glimmer of a smile at the end — although he is not one known for wearing his heart on his sleeve — and a qualified response as to whether he would remain with the club.

He was known not to be satisfied at the lack of investment in players in the January transfer window.

“I think I will have to analyse a lot of things, but I’m really pleased here,” he told Sky Sports. “So hopefully we can do what we have to do to be stronger in the Premier League.”

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2017