Full time: Darlington 2 Newcastle 7

Chris Hughton commented:

"It was a good workout for the players. Their escape from it all is where it should be, on the football pitch. All we can affect is what goes on on the training pitch and on the football pitch.

“If that’s the squad we have come the first day of the season, we would be delighted. We have certainly got a good enough squad and a good enough team to acquit ourselves very well in this division, that I have got no doubts about.”

On injury victim Nicky Butt:

"Nicky's just dislocated his thumb. As a precaution he went to hospital, but hopefully everything will be all right. We made a decision that if we lost a player towards the end, we'd use it as a fitness exercise to play 10 against 11.

"One thing we knew with the Darlington squad was that they wouldn't have the numbers to chop and change that we would. We knew they'd have a side similar to that in the first half.

"It was probably a bit earlier than we'd have liked, as Nicky went off straight after we made the last two substitutions, Xisco and Donaldson."

On the new yellow kit:

"I think it's quite nice. The bottom line is that we won in it, so the lads like it for that reason."

Steven Taylor added:

"The squad is really good. Everyone is sticking together, from the young lads to the older ones. Last season we knew there were a few people who didn’t want to be here, but now we realise that we are in the Championship and the only way to get back up is by sticking together. 

“The Dublin trip was the best thing that could have happened to us all. We had to spend every single day together. Three times a day we spent training, getting up at 7am. “Most players didn’t fancy that, but after the first day everyone was pushing each other, it was good to see. 

“There was never anyone hiding away, that to me highlights that none of us wanted to be seen as coming last.” The fans don’t understand. Because it seems the club is a shambles, they probably think that the players are fighting every day in training, but with us it is completely different. 

“I just wish they could spend one day on the training ground to see just how we are going about this and getting along with each other. There’s a much better team bond now. “The worst thing about it is that no matter what I say it seems that I’m just putting over a message the fans want to hear. We were accused of that after the Shamrock Rovers game, but it isn’t. 

“They don’t realise what it has been like and I can assure you that Dublin was definitely the best thing that could have happened to Newcastle United. We have to stick together.

"We get sick of hearing differing things and reading different things in the papers. Every day is different. It’s been said it’s going to get taken over one week, then it’s the week after and it still has not happened. Until we see it finalised, that’s it. fitness is the main thing and the score doesn’t really mean much. We have three weeks left and we have to make sure we are in the best possible condition, shape, because we know it will be a difficult start for us. We will get on with it. 

“It’s frustrating, but all we can do is get on with our jobs because if you think too much about things off the pitch, it will affect performances on it. You have to look after yourself and each other. It’s a small squad now, but that’s Newcastle United now.

“Colin and Chris have done a fantastic job. For them to get us in the great shape that we are, in the circumstances, is fantastic. They have not complained, they have just gone about it the right way.”

Darlington boss Colin Todd said:

"People may just make a judgement by looking at the scoreline but that would be unfair. I’m pleased these two games are behind us now (Darlo lost 0-4 at home to the mackems earlier in the week). The players go out there with the best of intentions but they’re playing against opposition that has played at the highest level so it was difficult.

“Supporters might be disappointed but there’s no reason to be. It’s difficult to judge us on these last two games, we’ll have to show the supporters what we’re about against Hamilton on Wednesday and I think they have already seen glimpses.

“We’ve had two games now that have taught us lessons, very difficult lessons. We’ll have to make sure confidence hasn’t been affected and I don’t think it has. We had a chat in the changing rooms afterwards and there’s a lot of players who did well.

“We had three trialists in defence in the first half and then went back to the back four that played against Sunderland. We’ve got trialists in but whether we’ve got the budget to do anything that is another matter.”