... James Perch looks likely to be spending a lot of time on the bench this coming season.
But “Perchinio” is hoping his versatility will again be a strength over the coming campaign.
James Perch: “When you look at it, we’ve got the European games and hopefully a better cup run than in the last couple of years.
“That means more games in the calendar for Newcastle, which hopefully means more games for me.
“Versatility’s the key and I’m willing to step in wherever and whenever.
“We’ve been gearing ourselves up for this Tottenham game for the last six or seven weeks.
“It’s a tough start to the season – we know the fixtures we’ve got. We’ve got the European fixtures too.
“It’s about getting fit, getting minutes under our belt, staying injury-free and being as well prepared as we can be.
“I’m pleased I’ve got minutes under my belt at Hartlepool.
“Touch wood, I’m injury-free.
“I can’t be more pleased. That was my aim before the start of pre-season. It’s tough if you get an injury.
“It was a tough test.
“We knew we’d have to put in a shift – they’re a physical side – but to be fair the lads put the game to bed in the first 20 minutes.
“I thought we played some great stuff.
“The great support we had will have seen we passed the ball really well and scored some good goals.”
“When you’ve got players like Shols, Marveaux and Romain (Amalfitano) up front and (Dan) Gosling playing in behind with his creativity and his late runs into the box, you’re going to get goals.
“We had fresh subs coming on - Hatem and Mehdi Abeid - and they played really well, as well.”
HARTLEPOOL 1 NEWCASTLE 5
Harper (Alnwick 82), Simpson (Good 72), Tavernier, Williamson, S.Taylor (Vuckic 46), Perch (R.Taylor 72), Gosling, Amalfitano (Santon 80), Marveaux (Obertan 78), Sh.Ameobi (Ben Arfa 46), Bigirimana (Abeid 59).
Alan Pardew’s men were two goals to the good after just four minutes thanks to efforts from Shola Ameobi and Sylvain Marveaux and they had a third when the latter doubled his tally from the penalty spot on 12 minutes.
Haris Vuckic added a fourth after half-time and Gabriel Obertain smashed a fifth either side of a Tony Sweeney reply on the hour mark.
It took just three minutes for The Magpies to find a breakthrough, Romain Amalfitano afforded too much room down the right and his low centre was turned beyond Scott Flinders with ease by Ameobi from six yards.
The hosts were still holding an inquest into the opener when another routine ball over the top sent Ameobi clear and he crossed for Marveaux to poke home at the second attempt.
And Marveaux had his second from the spot after Ameobi, again bursting clear in behind a static home defence, was felled by an exposed Flinders.
It took until the 15th minute for Pools to register an effort on goal, Simon Walton testing Steve Harper from 20 yards.
But it could have been four for the visitors when James Tavernier sprung Marveaux clear, the Frechman only denied a hat-trick goal by the boot of Flinders.
The Geordies continued to threaten and Flinders had to be on his guard to smuggle an inadvertent Peter Hartley header around the post.
Pools survived until the break without further concession but eight minutes after the restart their target had been breached once more, substitute Vuckic seizing on a deflected shot before delicately dropping over Flinders from close range.
But Pools did restore some pride when Sweeney pounced upon a loose ball inside the six-yard area after Newcastle had failed to clear a Neil Austin free-kick and he hooked home his second of the summer.
Sweeney had a chance for a second soon after but blazed wide, while Jonathan Franks had a pop from similar range but he too missed Harper’s target.
And the last meaningful act of an otherwise pedestrian final half hour was Obertan’s low drive into the bottom corner seven minutes from time.
PRE-SEASON FIXTURES:
HARTLEPOOL 1 NEWCASTLE 5 (Shola Ameobi, Marveaux 2, Obertan, Vuckic)
Harper (Alnwick 82), Simpson (Good 72), Tavernier, Williamson, S.Taylor (Vuckic 46), Perch (R.Taylor 72), Gosling, Amalfitano (Santon 80), Marveaux (Obertan 78), Sh.Ameobi (Ben Arfa 46), Bigirimana (Abeid 59).
DEN HAAG 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul; S Taylor (Gosling 65), R Taylor (Perch 71), Coloccini, Santon (Simpson 80); Obertan (Bigirimana 71), Tiote (Ameobi 71), Vuckic (Williamson 65), Gutierrez; Ba (Amalfitano 82), Cisse
BRAGA 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, R Taylor)
Harper; Simpson, Tavernier, Coloccini, R.Taylor; Sammy Ameobi (Obertan 88), Tiote (Cabaye 70), Gutierrez, Marveaux; Cisse, Ba (Vuckic 85).
OLYMPIACOS 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (S Taylor)
Krul, Perch, Williamson, S.Taylor (Dummett 46), Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 72), Bigirimana, Gosling (Abeid 36), Amalfitano, Vuckic, Shola Ameobi (Cisse 72).
FENERBAHCE 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Abeid)
Elliot, Simpson (Santon 68), Tavernier, Coloccini, R Taylor, Tiote (Bigirimana 59), Gosling (Abeid 73), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 75), Marveuax (Gutierrez 59), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi 46), Ba (Cisse 68).
MONACO 0 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba)
Harper, Santon (Ryan Taylor 57), Simpson, Williamson (Perch 46), Gutierrez, Amalfitano (Obertan 62), Abeid (Tavernier 46), Bigirimana (Tiote 62), Sammy Ameobi (Vuckic 46), Shola Ameobi (Gosling 62), Ba (Marveaux 78)
CHEMNITZER 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Elliot; Tavernier (Simpson, 70), Williamson, Perch, R Taylor (Santon, 70); Obertan (Gutierrez, 77), Abeid (Bigirimana, 70), Gosling, Amalfitano; Vuckic (Shola Ameobi, 70), Sammy Ameobi (Ba, 77). Sub not used: Harper. Att: 6,700
Sat 11.08.2012 Cardiff City v NUFC (at Cardiff City Stadium, Wales - 3pm KO)