Allegedly Mike Ashley held a meeting on Tuesday - and although John Carver, Steve Clarke and Steve Stone have all been mentioned in dispatches - Joe Kinnear was the name that many Toon fans didn't want to hear.
It comes at a time when Kinnear has been telling the press he wants to return to St James' Park.
Chris Hughton: "It will be my appointment who comes in and it is one I don't want to take too long over in making my mind up.
"What I need to do is go through the possibilities. I have my own ideas and it is one we don't want to drag on too long."