HE knew Newcastle were in trouble, but Aaron Hughes has admitted that only by returning to St James’ Park was he able to appreciate the enormity of what the club is facing next weekend.

If the Magpies lose at Aston Villa on Sunday, they will be relegated from the Premier League after a 16-year stay in the top-flight. Hughes was a Newcastle player for nine of those years, making 279 appearances for the club before Graeme Souness sold him to Aston Villa for £1m in 2005.

The Northern Irishman helped deepen the Magpies’ woes when his Fulham side left Gallowgate with a 1-0 victory at the weekend, and while he makes no apology for his efforts, he admits harbouring a great deal of sympathy for his former team.

“It’s very sad to see what’s happened,” said Hughes. “I’m happy to have won the game, but I’m really sorry things have turned out as they have.

“I’ve still got a strong connection and affinity with Newcastle. It’s not so much the players because there’s been such a high turnover since I left, but there are guys still working at the club who were around when I was there. When I talked to them afterwards, I could tell how down, disappointed and concerned they were.

“It’s people like that you feel for and I just hope they pick something up at Villa and do what they need to do. The alternative is something I don’t want to think about. I can’t imagine that club in the Championship, the size of the stadium and those amazing fans.”

Hughes still counts himself amongst the club’s fanbase, despite being jettisoned by Souness. The versatile defender should never have been deemed surplus to requirements, but his departure was one of a number of kneejerk decisions that sent the club careering from one calamity to another.

Since Hughes departed four years ago, Newcastle have had eight full-time or caretaker managers. Stability has been a distant dream, but in the current incumbent, Alan Shearer, Hughes feels the Magpies have finally appointed the right man for the job.

“Everyone can see there’s been no stability,” he said.

“First and foremost, it’s about seeing if Newcastle can keep themselves in the league and look to rebuild in the summer, but getting Alan on board permanently would be a really good first step.

“No disrespect to other managers, but it’s not until you’re actually at Newcastle that you understand what the place is like. It’s just a huge, huge club that’s embedded in the city and dominates it.

“Alan understands that, and he would either be able to get that across to the players or bring players in who are on the same wavelength.”