Qualifying for the Champions League just 18 months or so since Newcastle United were sold by Mike Ashley to the Saudi-backed consortium was not expected. For most, it wasn't even a dream. Now it is a reality for Eddie Howe and those in charge at St James' Park.
Now the dust has settled and the disbelief in achieving such a fear begins to dissipate - the hard work begins. From sponsorships to corporate offerings and improvements inside the ground, the summer will be far from one of rest for those working behind the scenes. Indeed, go for a quick walk past the stadium and you can hear the noise of building work as time ebbs away for the kick-off of the new campaign.
Improvements were always going to be needed at the ground - the shell it had become under the previous owner demanded it but now with Champions League football on the horizon, the changes take on a new level. With that in mind, and a rise in running costs, an increase in ticket prices seemed somewhat inevitable.
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Those making the decisions face an unenvious task of striking the balance of upping prices while not pricing loyal fans out of attending. Some supporters will argue they've found the middle ground, and some will argue they haven't - but it was always going to be difficult to please everyone.
A price rise some of 5% - in the middle of a cost of living crisis - to some will feel harsh. Even more so the £55 - per match - that it will cost you to secure your seat for a Champions League game - will be hard to swallow for some.
Yet, the harsh reality is nearly every Premier League club has upped their season tickets, and the price for European fixtures last season varied from club to club but at Chelsea, it could have set you back as much as £70 to see Champions League football.
Some would argue, it is the price of success. Spare a thought for some loyal fans of Nottingham Forest who face a 20% price hike or those down at Craven Cottage where some tickets have risen by 18% - then the 5% seen at Newcastle doesn't seem so bad.
If you break it down - for category 1 in the standard seating at St James' Park you will be paying £852 for your Premier League home fixtures - around £45 per game. At Fulham, a fan renewing in the Johnny Haynes stand will be paying £985, while a new season ticket holder will have to fork out £1,235 for a seat.
Such is the demand at Newcastle, it's hard to argue that a similar price rise still wouldn't result in tickets being snapped up such is demand. As it is, the club has resisted the temptation of a massive hike - even freezing prices for juniors and those on a longer deal.
The assumption from this reporter is that even though times are hard, very few people are going to pass up the opportunity to retain their season ticket. And while there are some complaints about the rise, the majority have agreed with the club's reasoning - that improvements on and off the pitch come at a price. "Quality costs, simple as that," one fan told me.
And that is perhaps what will soften the blow - fans can see where the money is being invested. From the drastic improvements at the training ground and the cosmetic touches on the concourses of St James' Park to investment in the footballing side of the business - there are no queries from fans about where their money is going.
As mentioned, there has been some kickback on the prices of the Champions League scheme - £165 in total - or the domestic cups - £20 per game for The Carabao Cup and £30 per game for the FA Cup. But in truth, I was pleasantly surprised at the £55 price tag - wrongly expecting somewhere upward of £70 for a ticket, as the chance to reap the benefits of European football was seized upon.
The introduction of schemes to secure tickets for cup games came from the club talking and working with existing ticket holders to find out what they would like to see - regardless of your view on the prices, and all opinions count, that sort of interaction can only be seen as hugely positive.
Those in charge are learning on their feet as they deal with the rigors of not only huge demand - and in itself, will pour further fuel on the fire about stadium expansion - but also everything that comes with a Champions League campaign. And as they do, some fans may are also feeling like they are taking a lesson but the reality of the situation is, that this is the price of success.
