The similarities to the present-day chaos at Newcastle United and what went on in the two previous campaigns which ended in relegation to the Championship should be glaringly obvious to the club's hierarchy.
The Magpies fell out of the top flight in 2009 and then again in 2016 - both times Mike Ashley and those entrusted to make the decision on management arguably waited too long before replacing Joe Kinnear, and Steve McClaren.
This time around, there is a fear that the same mistake may be made again and cost Newcastle their place in the Premier League.
Those fears were spelt out by our chief sports writer Lee Ryder after United's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal.
"Yes they are," Lee replied when asked on The Everything is Black and White Podcast if United are in a survival fight.
"I've experienced a lot of these situations with Newcastle and there is a lot that reminds me of the seasons they went down - and also the near misses.
"When you start looking at other teams' results, we've all been guilty of it in recent weeks - you start to look over your shoulder hoping that Brighton or West Brom are going to lose. Those teams aren't going to keep on losing, Newcastle aren't going to stay up with 19 points.
"It sounds like I'm stating the obvious but other results don't matter - you need to sort your side of the bargain out first and if Newcastle don't sort their act out quickly, the other teams are going to gather momentum.
"West Brom, Big Sam is a survival specialist he will find a way of at least chasing this gap down.
"There is always one team that gets sucked into and at the minute that team is looking like Newcastle."
The Magpies have a seven-point cushion on the relegation zone but haven't won a game in nine across all competitions and can't find the back of the net either.
Bruce is now favourite with the bookies to lose his job.
"Everyone around the place," Lee added.
"The players, coaching staff, those above them need to wake up quickly because it is no good in changing things in 10 games time because by then they could right in the mix of it.
"The big problem they've had in the two relegations so far is that they have acted too slow. Great, they got Rafa Benitez in but with 10 games to go it was too late.
"They either need to spend some money and bring in some new players or they need a drastic change in the coaching set up.
"But who is going to come in with no money, no long term job security - it is a hard sell. "
