Yet before the season starts we know the Premiership is going to one of four clubs; and the FA Cup heading that way too; the rest of the Premiership sets its goal for success "let's qualify for Europe".
You don't see a club driving round on an open-top bus because they've made it into the top six. Yet Roeder has gone down that route, and he says it WOULD be success for Newcastle. The fans at this club are desperate for a cup. Playing in the FA Cup or Premiership or travelling to Barcelona in a European competition is very nice ... but it's not lifting a cup ... and that MUST be the aim.
Glenn Roeder: "You have got to have targets in life; you have got to have goals, and our goal is very much to run all the way through to the final of the UEFA Cup and to finish in a position in the Premiership that would guarantee us European football next year.
"Our season is very much alive and kicking. In the UEFA Cup, the expectation is that we will be in the last 16 after the game tomorrow. We know we would play the winners of AZ Alkmaar and Fenerbahce, which is finely balanced at 3-3, probably slightly favouring the Dutch, who are at home.
Winning A Cup is Success - Not Qualifying!
"We know that every round after this one, assuming we can get through tomorrow, will become more and more difficult.
"Because we have managed, even with the injury situation, to stay in touch with the top six or seven, we still have to be very strong in our beliefs that we can automatically qualify for a UEFA spot this year if that is what is needed."