Newcastle United head coach Matthias Jaissle is as natty a dresser as you are likely to find lurking round any dug-out on a weekend. Nattier even than England's waist-coated Gareth Southgate who must now be addressed as 'Sir.' Nattier than the angelic choir boy Eddie Howe who used to occupy the St James' Park home dressing-room.
Jaissle wants his team to be in his image: slick, easy on the eye, progressive, aggressive, and essentially front foot.
Restarting the Premier League adventure
As he gathers his troops around him to restart their Premier League adventure he'll be looking to go onward and upward. It is still early days - everyone is getting used to everyone else - but Geordies like what they have seen so far. Leeds apart.
The next step is to go to Coventry and do a job on them. To take advantage of a three-week break that has allowed a lot of walking wounded to rise from their bed of nails.
Jaissle is hopeful he will have the services of the duo he appointed captain and vice captain, Dan Burn and Joelinton, for the first time since he arrived and that ought to be a significant moment. Both may need to use the subs' bench before entering full battle mode but they bring leadership, experience, and physical power to the cause which will be most welcome.
Old and new combined
United have been light on all three of those commodities while benefitting from other assets youth has given us. The manager has quickly recognised what old hands can contribute to his new team which is why he hung onto Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy.
A mixture of the old and the new can be a potent concoction. For all the attributes Lukas Hornicek, Sean Steur, Nico Gonzalez, Amar Dedic and Matias Fernandez-Pardo have brought to the occasion so too have Lewis Hall, Anthony Elanga, Harvey Barnes, Yoane Wissa, Malick Thiaw, Lewis Miley, and Joe Willock.
Burn and Joelinton, I would venture, will be like new signings to Jaissle who has not been able to call upon either of them until now.
Respect for Eddie Howe
In the warm glow of appreciation for a new manager brimming with enthusiasm and fresh ideas, fans must be cautious not to disrespect Eddie Howe just because he literally ran out of steam after achieving so much.
He gave us our first domestic trophy in 70 years, another Wembley cup final, and two Champions League campaigns from a start that was effectively no more ambitious than to rid us of years of regularly fighting against relegation. Howe is still the yardstick which Jaissle must use to gauge his progress. It is possible to love them both.
What our new boy has done really well is quickly getting the players onside. Hall was so enamoured by our German brought in from Saudi Arabia that he committed his long term future to the club rather than grab a parachute like so many others. Dedic joined us because he had played for Jaissle before and is a disciple. Likewise Willock got a new lease of life while Elanga and Wissa have been rejuvenated.
We move on with cautious enthusiasm, open to whatever lies ahead, hopeful that after a summer spent worrying the sun is to finally shine on our parade.
Tribute to a non-league referee
Sporting superstars naturally gain all the headlines and the adulation entertaining as they do thousands of worshippers. They are the gods of their chosen profession. Remembered for all time. However football, our most cherished of entertainment, is based upon much more. The rank and file who serve for no fame, little gain, and sometimes plenty of aggro.
One such typical devotee was Alan Taylor from Fenham, a non-league referee for 25 years who has just died at the age of 88. He served mainly in the Northern League, was paid a quid for the first game he ever reffed, and was a season ticket holder at Newcastle United for countless years.
A sergeant in the police specials for 20 years based in North Shields, Alan was particularly honoured when he was selected to referee a Northumberland FA Cup final at his beloved St James Park.
I've spent 60 years covering NUFC for the Chronicle but I've always been acutely aware of the countless, faceless folk who keep our sport going and growing. Alan Taylor was one of them. He didn't want to be more or less. He found his niche and he served football well like thousands of others with love in their heart.
