Taylor is struggling with the pollen count, Chris is making eyes at his BBQ, and nobody knows what day (or month) it is. Welcome to our first ever summer edition of Pod on the Tyne!

We've already finished one transfer window and, while Manchester City have been busy, it wasn't the one that actually matters. Not that you can tell that to @furiouscramlingtondavey on X!

However, with the imminent departure of both Newcastle's CEO Darren Eales and the Sporting Director Paul Mitchell, there are some legitimate causes for concern. We take a dip into an epic mailbag for a bumper Q&A session.

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We've reached the end of a remarkable season, one that saw Newcastle United end a 56-year wait for a major trophy and return to the Champions League (after just one year away).

It lays a decent claim, says George, to be the club's most successful season in history: a bold claim when the club has four league titles. But, while we happily bask in the glory, we also remember the stuttering start and the uncertainty left over from last summer.

Perhaps that uncertainty is back now that Sporting Director Paul Mitchell will be leaving the club less than a year after taking the job? It's sure to be an interesting summer of Premier League recruitment and, with a host of significant figures leaving the women's team, we're expecting more signings there as well.

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Relive a very nervy closing day as it happened with the PotT team.

A two-nill win against a tricky opponent with a nerve-settling first-half goal from the leader in central midfield and a penalty from the team's world-class striker... Manchester City strolled back into the Champions League at Fulham.

Newcastle United, on the other hand, made a right meal of it. Defeat at home to Everton saw them, at one stage, fall from fourth to sixth (outside the Champions League places). Step forward ***checks notes*** Sunderland and Manchester United hero Amad Diallo!?!

All's well that ends well, they say, and we were able to reflect on the most remarkable season in recent history and perhaps the best second-half of a season full stop.

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Newcastle went down 1-0 at Arsenal on Sunday to set up a nervy last weekend. A win at home against Everton is needed to seal Champions League football (bar a near-impossible set of results elsewhere).

Jacob Murphy has been speaking with George this week and he has faith in himself and his squad-mates to put in the performance needed against a post-Goodison Everton that is either eminently beatable or incredibly dangerous depending on which end of Chris and George's sentences you choose to follow.

The mood in the camp seems very positive though and, while we are hoping for good news in terms of Alexander Isak's participation, we're sure St James's Park will roar and the lads will do us proud.

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Eddie Howe's trophy-winning Mags are on the brink of returning to the Champions League next season after a lightning start and a thunderous finish provided emphatic bookends to a nervy bit in between.

The final result was 2-0, at least according to most reliable judges, and with two games to go, it's difficult to see how Newcastle can lose three places in the league. In fact with a trip to Arsenal next, might we be looking up instead!

Helping us savour the success this week is special guest Paul Ferris, NUFC's favourite polymath, who has a new book out but doesn't need any help selling tickets to the launch. There's also a first update from Mark Allison who has reached Pennsylvania on his epic run across America.

https://www.rungeordierun.com/

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A long time ago, at an AMEX arena far, far away... Chris Waugh watched a Jason Tindall-less Newcastle United fight back to draw against Brighton.

Yankuba Minteh's goal, followed by a bizarre series of reactions, had seemingly put a dent in our Champions League pursuit, but referee Craig Pawson's third penalty award survived VAR and Isak slotted home.

Meanwhile, closer to home at Blackburn's Ewood Park, NUFC Women rounded off an encouraging debut season in the second tier with a 5-1 win. We speak to manager Becky Langley at length on the lessons learned and what we can expect next term.

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The last month has been quite a rollercoaster for Newcastle's manager, Eddie Howe. From the ecstasy of our Carabao Cup win to the agony, and anxiety, of a brush with pneumonia. On Saturday, he returned to the dugout, and despite his admission he's not quite 100% yet, it was a huge boost for everyone.

Alexander Isak's 22nd Premier League goal of the season, plus a pair of headers from Dan Burn and Will Osula, helped see off the ten men of Ipswich, but there was plenty of debate around the performance of the match officials.

We also hear from three magnificent women, including George's mam on her birthday! The Lasses(TM), finished their home campaign with a draw against title challengers Birmingham City, and we said farewell to club captain Grace Donnelly and goalscorer Rachel Furness (at least as a player).

For more information on Mark Allison's run across America, and to donate, go to http://rungeordierun.com/

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It's a tale of two Uniteds this week. First up; a magnificent demolition of Crystal Palace when everyone scored, even Isak.

And while Villa away was a Saturday to forget, the podcast team seem to have a lot more trouble remembering the details from earlier in the week.

Either way, we are shrugging it all off and looking forward to an exciting run-in. Ipswich is the first of a crucial trio of home games; will Howe return to the dugout?

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Eddie Howe's illness, while obviously a concern for everyone, did not disrupt Newcastle's focus on a Super Sunday. Newcastle's senior teams won 10-1 on aggregate as The Lasses put promotion disappointment behind them with six unanswered goals against Blackburn.

Manchester United, meanwhile, left St James's Park with their tails between their legs; our midfield trio bullying them into submission. Kevin Keegan wasn't there to see his Wor Flags tribute, but he must have savoured our first league double over the Red Devils in 94 years.

Two huge games this week for the boys with Crystal Palace calling on Wednesday night before a trip to Aston Villa; Champions League qualification is now less a hope than an expectation.

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Newcastle United took six Premier League points from their first two games after winning the Carabao Cup, albeit three of them were a little easier than the others.

Brentford came to St James's Park and put up a fight, equalising through Mbeumo before Tonali's not-a-worldie saved the victory in another "game-state" triumph.

Then to Leicester, the third leg of George's relegation odyssey, and a sorry state of affairs where Newcastle only needed second gear to win (despite Fabian Schar's best efforts). Champions League football looks likelier than not now and we don't fear anyone, least of all Manchester United.

Watch Fabian Schar's teenage wondergoal for FC Wil here: https://x.com/jwhitey98/status/1909330496955584698

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