It started amid the picturesque backdrop of the Alps in Saalfelden back in pre-season and ended with the Toon Army singing songs about jaunts to Milan at Stamford Bridge on final days - it's been the journey of a lifetime for Newcastle United.
Even during those early interviews at the team's lucrative hideaway in Austria, Eddie Howe made it clear that he would not be drawn into talk of "final positions" in the Premier League. Instead, all the former AFC Bournemouth manager wanted was an improvement and focus from his players.
And - impressively - himself, when the team have lost Howe has looked at his own preparations before lamenting the team. But Howe never gets carried way with success, or beats himself up after a defeat - it's always swiftly on to the next game.
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Howe is the first to training at dawn before he heads to the gym and often the last to leave as he plots Newcastle's battle plans in the Premier League. Ultimately, it is his bond with his players though that offer is the greatest insight into why they have gone from relegation fodder to the Champions League in just 18 months.
The man linked with the England job made it clear to me in the build-up to the Carabao Cup final that wearing on a suit on the big day at Wembley wasn't at the forefront of his mind. He said: "I see myself as a tracksuit manager, it keeps me close to the players, and I'm with them on the touchline."
Beyond the touchline sometimes things can go beyond a manager's control but Howe has fixed that issue since becoming boss here. During pre-season training in the stifling heat of July, Howe showed one reason why Newcastle did what many deemed impossible when the season kicked off.
As a drill got under way and started badly, a sharp blast on his whistle stopped everybody in full flow. Something wasn't right, but instead of lecturing his players exactly what wasn't right he shouted: "OK, where's the team's leaders."
And Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier quickly muscled in to thrash out the positional tweak before the session quickly got under way. By instilling the team responsibility around the pitch, rather than heaping pressure on Jamaal Lascelles when he's played or Trippier, Howe has constantly referenced the same leadership group throughout the campaign.
The 2022/23 season has been the first in years where certain players have not been guaranteed to play or waltz back into the team after an injury of suspension. Howe stated early in the season that "performances in training" would determine selection on match days and everything we've seen since has backed that up.
The first game of the season is a superb example of that with two of the team's star performers named on the bench that day and another in Dan Burn having the season of his life in an unusual position. Sean Longstaff was only named as sub against Nottingham Forest in the 2-0 win and sat alongside Sven Botman on the bench that day.
But both used the daily training sessions at Benton to fight their way back into the contention and both have been absolutely integral to the season overall. Burn has not only kept Matt Targett on the sidelines for the majority of the campaign, but he has also restricted Northern Ireland international Jamal Lewis to a bit-part role and Paul Dummett has barely had a kick despite being fit since November and available for selection
Howe has had the money argument hurled his way all season with questions about the club's Saudi backing, but the facts are simple, Newcastle's Champions League finish has come with a stable team including players he inherited. Through training and working 1:1 with them at the club's North Tyneside HQ, they have all improved as players. Longstaff, Miguel Almiron, Joe Willock, Fabian Schar, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy and Callum Wilson have been massive parts of the club's rise back to the top.
Wilson was a player that Howe knew well but he has still hit new levels of quality and ended the season as top scorer. Yes, Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Botman, Burn, and Alexander Isak have been excellent but they have all been hand-picked as the right type of characters to fit in with Howe's philosophy behind the scenes.
Overall, Howe's team didn't scrape into the Champions League despite leaving it until the penultimate game. It was a position they held for 26 match days from 38. Compared to Liverpool, who didn't climb into a coveted slot all term, they dominated the Champions League spot in second, third and fourth at varying points.
The highlights in terms of matches?
Newcastle's run to Wembley for their first major final since 1999 broke boundaries and records but in truth it ended up being a distraction for a team whose destiny this term would be the top four and not silverware. Perhaps that's for another day, but everybody enjoyed the Carabao Cup final.
There are many other highlights though, from thrashing Tottenham Hotspur 6-1, making easy work of Fulham away from home 4-1, sticking four past Southampton and Aston Villa in back to back games, trouncing West Ham 5-1 or the way Brighton were swept aside 4-1 at home, or seeing off Man United 2-0, it's hard to pinpoint a specific encounter.
Just as important though were the points picked up at home to Man City in a 3-3 draw, the stalemate at Arsenal in January and what felt like a turning point at Nottingham Forest when United came back from behind to secure a last minute win at the City Ground. This is Newcastle's best season since the days of Sir Bobby Robson when he twice led the Magpies to qualification for the Champions League in 2002 and 2003.
Yes, Newcastle have cashed in on the demise of Chelsea and Tottenham, and pushed past Liverpool in the queue for the Champions League. But they have had them all rattled from the Blues, Spurs, Jurgen Klopp's side and Man United!
There's been times when Howe's team have reminded us of Kevin Keegan's Entertainers but they have seemed less likely to throw away leads at key teams. Howe's backroom team have been a major reason for the season's success with Jason "Mad Dog" Tindall intervening with touchline mind games when needed and the fitness and physio staff playing a huge part.
At Leeds they showed their unity when a pitch invader showed Howe at Elland Road in the hectic 2-2 draw, but the likes of Simon Weatherstone were quick to help march the offender away from the technical area. Yet the final word of the season has to go to Howe. He should be manager of the season.
Observing him from close quarters has been intriguing with his attitude never changing as he transmitted the same message of calmness and tranquillity as the crystal-clear water streams and lakes around the club's pre-season base in Austria. With that composure and poise, Howe has navigated United back to the Champions League whether they have hammered teams or not managed to put their best foot forward.
And as for the Champions League next season? With Howe's grounded approach, nobody will get carried away but some of Europe's heavyweights may need to look over given the way the top-flight's establishment have been rattled this season.
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