Almost two weeks on, though, the radio silence coming from St James’ Park has made fans nervous despite some positive sound-bites from both local and national Press which suggest the Benitez deal will be done soon.
But fans start another week anxiously waiting for confirmation of Benitez’s full-time arrival at St James’ Park.
For some, failing to get Benitez could be the difference of whether to buy a season ticket or take a step back all together and see if the same regime that once brought them Dennis Wise and Joe Kinnear can yet manage to stoop any lower.
But Newcastle now have the chance to prove to their fans they have changed for the better.
Benitez is more than capable of bringing the good times back to St James’ Park.
Although, amid the clamour for Benitez to stay, it shouldn’t be ignored that a club who are capable of playing in the Champions League, when run efficiently, have been allowed to stumble back into the Football League.
Normally there would be much more noise about that from fans so United officials should be grateful to Benitez for stopping that from happening.
Compared to six years ago, some fans have taken relegation a little more lightly - but only because of the man who almost saved them.
The loudest form of protests were at Watford during the FA Cup third-round exit and at Stoke City after the dismal 1-0 defeat in the Premier League.
At home Newcastle fans didn’t really turn on Steve McClaren vocally until the AFC Bournemouth game after a 3-1 defeat.
That’s an incredible show of patience that you won’t find at most other clubs.
Anybody who suggests that Newcastle fans are a demanding bunch haven’t observed the club closely during United’s slide from fifth place to the Sky Bet Championship in the last four years.
True, there has been a huge question mark over the attitude and application of some players this season.
But on the whole, the team that will go down as one of the worst in the club’s history on paper after collecting such a low tally of Premier League points are merely a by-product of the organisation behind the scenes.
It started when Alan Pardew had different ideas to chief scout Graham Carr as far as the recruitment was concerned.
After Pardew’s exit finally happened, Newcastle were left to drift like a ghost ship as John Carver was handed the job without backing in the transfer window and without assurances of what was to come next.
No sooner had McClaren taken on the job he quickly realised he’d merely inherited the problems of Carver and Pardew when it came to recruitment.
Now, Newcastle HAS to change as a club.
Mismanagement in football can be unforgiving at times, and history and tradition count for nothing once the money and the interest dry up.
It can easily happen to Newcastle if they get this one wrong - and just because they bounced straight back in 2010 after relegation does not mean it will happen again if they try to cut corners and go for a cheaper manager.
With Benitez I can see a sell-out crowd for the first home game of the Championship, without him I can only envisage extra rows empty seats.
Newcastle’s first game in the Championship against Reading resulted in a drop in attendance down to 36,944.
As the Magpies performed well in the second flight they attracted an average gate of 43,384 but that was bolstered significantly by the amount of day trippers from Championship club who wanted to enjoy a visit to St James’ and a weekend in Newcastle.
Benitez staying at United offers Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley a great chance of bumper gates and an instant return to the Premier League.
The sooner Newcastle’s statement confirming Benitez drops into the inboxes and social media feeds of supporters the better.
After a season of being kicked in teeth time and time again then coming back for more, it’s the very least the fans deserve.