United Manager Chris Hughton said:

"It is all sinking in. This is what you are in the game for. We set ourselves targets and we achieved them. Of course, I am a bit disappointed we did not win the game, but that disappointment did not last too long. It is a fantastic achievement to go through the whole season and not lose a home game. 

"It is a very, very good feeling - days like this are what you are in the game for. You have to enjoy every moment of success and that is what we are going to do tonight. In some ways it, is a bit of a relief after a long, tough season.

"I did feel his (Sir Bobby Robson's) presence – you always do - his death united the club. When you have an individual like Sir Bobby who is so close to his football club, you take it with you - of course you do. I don’t think you can be around this club in good moments and not have a feel for the people who have been here before - the big influences.

"It is a special club, a club with a very local support. They hold their own very close and dear to them. It is very, very difficult not to think of those people when you are here, and there is none bigger than Sir Bobby."

Interviewed by the Sunday Mirror, he said:

"Managing in the Premier League isn’t something I am fearful of. I have never been afraid of being in charge, whether I have been coach, manager or caretaker. Whatever role I have had on the management side I pride myself on having done my best in the job. I have never shied away from that responsibility. Taking Newcastle back to the Premier League won’t be any different for me.

"To have won the Championship title in my first ­season is something I am incredibly proud of. Now I am looking at the next challenge. I worked under a lot of ­top-class managers at Spurs and had to take over as ­caretaker a couple of times when things were not going well. I know what’s required.

“I am very much looking forward to being a Premier League manager in my own right and locking horns with the top managers in the game. I didn’t set out specifically to be a manager, but once you end up in that role you want to be measured against the best in the profession.

"With that comes the difficulties of winning football matches against very good teams and managers, but that is what you are here for and what you are pushing all your life for. Our aim is to become a permanent fixture in the Premier League, but we know we will be in a better and tougher league and we won’t underestimate the task we face.

"It is testament to the owner that he kept a good enough squad for us to be able to compete. He decided he was going to keep a squad that was good enough to get us back up. He put me in charge on a temporary basis to start with and I felt it was the right decision. 

"It would have been wrong to bring in someone completely new. It was best to have someone who knew the players and could maintain the continuity. At that stage the players were hoping for a little bit more continuity and the fact I was staying there helped. I was satisfied early on that the foundations the owner had provided were good enough to get us promotion. Slowly but surely we began to feel good about ourselves and the early results gave us a ­momentum we never lost.

"The squad will be better in the Premier League for what they have been through this season. We’ve earned the right to be there, but we know there are areas that must be improved. Our aim must be to survive and consolidate in the way Birmingham, Wigan and Stoke have done. We must also be mindful more than ever that clubs must live within their means, but as we look forward to our Premier League return I am confident that we are in good shape."

Having confirmed that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season, Nicky Butt said:

"The emotion of it grabbed me – anyone who doesn’t get a bit emotional in that situation would be a weirdo. It was a great day and I am happy it has ended this way. To go out there at the end and get the trophy was up there alongside everything else I have done.

"I have enjoyed everything I’ve done in my career but out there on Saturday, that could have been the Champions’ League. You have got to enjoy it. Getting relegated was the lowest point of my career. Last year was really bad and it was always in the back of our minds this season, it was terrible and we wanted to put it right.

"We have got the club where we want it to be – and it is a massive thing for us. This is a club in my heart, it grew that way. It is an amazing city – a tight place where everyone adores the club. It is a one city club and it is almost unique in the way everyone wears the shirts. You come to the ground and see women, kids, the whole family with their shirts on.

"We have see a lot of that this year because we have been winning games. We have been out for meals and got pats on the back and people shaking our hands. I will always look at the results and I’ve already fixed up my tickets to come back next year. You can’t go up thinking top six or top eight – they have to improve on what we have done. But it is important they don’t get too carried away."

United closed out their unbeaten home campaign on Saturday and then staged a Championship celebration party at SJP, despite having been denied the victory that would have completed a century of points by a late and ludicrously offside goal from the Tractor Boys.

After the title was secured at Plymouth on the previous Monday, Saturday was all about the occasion of seeing the trophy handed over and SJP was accordingly packed with black and whites from both near and far. But if anyone came expecting a classic exposition of the round ball game or a rerun of 1993's 7-1 Championship party towsing of Leicester, then they were in for something of a disappointment. 

The combined effects of a hectic fixture programme played out on some questionable pitches and the inevitable post-Home Park knees up reduced much of this game to the level of a friendly kickabout in the sunshine. Despite having nothing really to play for, Town were doubtless anxious to avoid both a collective repeat of the 0-4 humiliation at Portman Road and the individual "consequences" of annoying their manager.

The tightly-knit and well-organised visitors managed to stifle an increasingly lethargic United, aside from a moment of inspiration and pace when Routledge set up Carroll for what is becoming almost a trademark power-headed finish.

That was barely deserved though and achieved with seemingly zero effort, rousing the crowd only briefly before they resumed their collective slumbers. An Ipswich leveller was deserved and duly arrived, but after the break both sides seemed content with their lot and with only crowd-pleasing substitutions to enliven things, a stalemate looked inevitable.

A draw was to be the final score, but achieved after a burst of activity in the closing minutes saw both Nicky Butt and Shola Ameobi make their mark, events that were appropriate in different ways. 

For the midfielder who won the spot kick it was a happy ending to a varied career on Tyneside that saw him seek refuge at Birmingham City once upon a time, only to return to SJP when his permanent move was shelved following their relegation. And had his dallying on the ball here a year ago not started the move that led to Fulham's winner, then his Magpie farewell would surely have come in May 2009 as we remained in the top-flight.  

And the striker who came off the bench to grab another goal can reflect that only his long-standing fitness problems left him remaining a Magpie, helping Stoke City gain promotion in 2008 but failing to see that

loan move turn into a permanent transfer. Ironically, Shola then looked set to join Ipswich, until concerns over hamstring injuries were highlighted by medical tests and he returned to SJP. 

With SJP celebrating what appeared to be a slightly unwarranted home victory, there was just time for a combination of defensive and refereeing sloppiness to hand the visitors a late leveller. Almost before the game had restarted though, the positive encouragement of the crowd had kicked in again and adding that unbeaten home record to the twin achievements of promotion and the title were enough to ensure a great ovation at full time - and a stadium full of people stick around for the subsequent salutes. 

On a day when memories of Sir Bobby Robson were conjured up by various fans and football personnel, that latter fact wouldn't have been lost on the former manager of both sides, six years on from the home draw against Wolves that contributed to his subsequent dismissal.

Taking their leave from the pitch while the inevitable podium and paper-scattering guns were moved into place, Chris Hughton was the first to reappear and took a deserved ovation from the crowd before being joined by Colin Calderwood and Paul Barron.

The United players then returned down the tunnel in pairs, to be introduced to the crowd and take their place on said podium followed individual medal presentations. Steven Taylor did show his face, but wasn't paired with Andy Carroll - although they were side by side in the celebrating throng (below) after Nicky Butt and Alan Smith lifted the trophy.

Drenched in champagne and in the company of assorted sizes of children, the squad then embarked upon a lap of honour, accompanied by music selected by the players and including 2009/10 dressing room anthem "Dignity" by Deacon Blue plus the inevitable blast of Queen's "We are the Champions" (presumably the Macarena was included to honour our "Three Amigos"....)  

 

The crowd meanwhile stayed in the stands to play their part and cheer the squad on their clockwise trek round the pitch - aside from a couple of stray invaders, who were soon dealt with by police and stewards.

As expected, the owner and MD were present but remained in low profile mode and didn't appear on the field to join in with the players' celebrations or make any public attempt to claim credit, refusing interviews. 

And so ends this fairytale of a season, aside from one final outing to the big city. 

Forgive us if we don't plough into listing our worries and concerns for 2010/11 just yet - we'll stay in lala land for just a little longer. Reality will intervene soon enough, and possibly even on Thursday, when our top scorer is due in court....

PS: Magpies exile Jim Thompson was at the game and saw the trophy presentation, before rushing back to his local in Yorkshire for some celebratory slurps. On arriving at The Slaters Arms in Bradley though, it was a case of deja vu all over again for him and his lass Elaine - thanks to the creative efforts of his mates:

  

Biffa