THREE years on from his Newcastle United appointment, Eddie Howe remains driven by his dreams and still believes he can achieve "extraordinary things" on Tyneside.

It's been a memorable 36 months for Howe, who arrived with United battling against Premier League relegation but led the Magpies up the table and into the Champions League.

Progress has slowed in the last 12 months, with the Premier League's spending restrictions limiting Newcastle and halting their momentum.

But Howe remains as hungry as ever and his dream is unchanged.

"Of course I'm happy with the progress," he said on his anniversary in charge.

"You always want more because we haven't got the one thing we wanted when we came in which was a trophy. That was the dream, that's still the dream and that's still driving us."

He added: "It feels good to still be here. When you come in you're never sure how things are going to go.

"You come in with the best intentions and lots of dreams. There's uncertainty, some insecurities because you're going into the unknown and we don't know what awaited us.

"The first challenge was to stay in the league. That was the only thing that consumed me. We got through a lot of work trying to make certain changes but also trying to get the best out of what was here.

"I look back with lots of good feelings. I'm so pleased with how it's going, so pleased to be in this position and still dreaming.

"The key things for me is giving my best every day to bring long term success and solid foundations so whoever comes in next has the chance to take the club on.

"The fourth year, we're looking at progression and improvement. We're looking at a really tight Premier League. Consistency is a big word for us."

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Newcastle's opponents on Sunday, Nottingham Forest, have mirrored the start of Leicester in the 2015/16 season when the Foxes remarkably won the Premier League.

Normal service has since been resumed in the top flight but Howe is motivated by achieving the incredible on Tyneside.

He said: "I still think amazing things happen in sport. That's why the sport we're in is so interesting to the world.

"These things can happen. You see it time and time again. Leicester's title win nobody saw coming, but it was an amazing thing for football and really good for football. That a team can upset everyone and do something wrong.

"Nottingham Forest will believe and in the same sense we believe. Whether we're going to win the Premier League in the next group of years who knows, but we believe we can do extraordinary things and that's the focal point of what we do every day.

"I always believe you can achieve anything. That is easier said than done and we have to go to work and try to do that. I will always try to get more out of what you have and the best out of whatever resources you have available to you. I don’t know what that is but we will strive to hit it."

After the takeover, there was bold talk of Premier League titles and European dominance but ambitions, at least in the short term, have had to be re-considered since.

Howe said: "We haven’t had a meeting that has discussed aims and targets for the season. It has not really been that clearly defined. The want is to improve across the board at the club, from the bottom up in every way to try and bring long-term success and stability.

"Consistency of league position is the aim, then you hope through time you can get to where you want to be in terms of trophies and qualification for Europe. It’s being looked at longer term more than short term."