Newcastle United had just defeated Burnley to finish in 11th place, but it was a final day victory tinged with sadness for some of these players as it may be the last time they share a dressing room together. Even Eddie Howe, who is always so measured, admitted the traditional end of season address was 'quite an emotional moment' on Sunday.
It is easy to see why. New players will arrive this summer, and in the years to come, but the contribution the club's stalwarts have made will never be forgotten.
Not only did several members of this group help take Newcastle back to the Premier League, in 2017, but they also helped keep the Magpies in the top-flight when their backs were against the wall. It is not an exaggeration to say that had they not done that, an already protracted takeover might have been even more complicated - and that really is saying something.
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This core group would love to continue to be a part of the new era, but there are question marks surrounding the futures of a host of long-serving individuals, including Isaac Hayden, Ciaran Clark, Karl Darlow, Dwight Gayle, Matt Ritchie, Federico Fernandez and Javier Manquillo. Between them, the septet have made nearly 900 appearances for the club.
It is unclear just who will ultimately depart when some of the group have long contracts and young families who are settled in the area. However, Howe has already admitted that he is 'sure there will be players that will move on who have represented the club in a brilliant way' ahead of sitting down with his players this week. Whatever happens, their place in the club's recent history is secure.
Indeed, when Newcastle's dressing room could have folded, on a number of occasions over the years, the Magpies' experienced core helped keep it together. Daryl Murphy previously told ChronicleLive that 'you could see in training, every day, they were at it' while Mohamed Diame went as far to say that the 'attitude of the guys there' helped Newcastle pick up points. For Christian Atsu, these players were more than just team-mates.
"We loved each other," the former Newcastle winger told ChronicleLive. "For me, that group was one of the most important groups that I've seen at Newcastle.
"I was with the guys for five years and we were always fighting relegation and, at the end of the season, you saw that we have stayed up. It takes a lot of hard work, determination and a mentality to achieve this because it's not easy when you're always fighting relegation to survive.
"We did a lot of things behind the scenes. We went for dinner, we played games together, we went go karting, we teased each other. We had a very strong mentality and team spirit. This is why I was never afraid that this group would be relegated when they were struggling."
To move to the next level, though, there will have to be changes and Newcastle's ability to trade will be crucial this summer to not only create space for new arrivals and generate additional transfer funds but, also, to reduce the wage bill at a time when the club's salary to turnover ratio is already at around 65%.
Perhaps, that figure should not come as a surprise. A host of stalwarts were handed new contracts in the final 18 months of the Ashley era and, revenue wise, remarkably, Joselu was the last senior Newcastle player of note who commanded a transfer fee when he moved on nearly three years ago. Even then, Alaves only had to pay £1.7m.
However, while Howe will effectively end some Newcastle careers this week, the Magpies' head coach has genuinely been sincere when he has repeatedly said he 'really likes' a host of individuals who have barely featured over the course of the campaign. These veterans, after all, have all played their part in Newcastle's turnaround this season - even when they have not been on the pitch.
Yes, Ritchie, Fernandez, Gayle et al have not played as much as they would have liked under Howe, but the club's vocal leaders have helped to maintain standards around the training ground and continued to be positive influences in the dressing room. Even Clark and Hayden, who were not included in the 25-man squad for the second half of the season, have trained like they were still available for selection.
Some long-serving figures will depart this summer, but it is to their credit that Howe is desperate to keep the spirit that they have helped to foster over the years and sign replacements who quickly understand what it means to play for the club. That, in itself, is a fitting legacy.
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