As the longest season in living memory reaches its end come Sunday tea-time, which Newcastle United players have emerged with their reputations enhanced?
Not many, it must be said.
Without question one is goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, a model of consistency as his record of being United's only ever present in the Premier League tells us.
If centre-forwards win matches then keepers can be great points collectors too which Dubravka has proved time and again.
Who else? Well Allan Saint-Maximin of course. The extrovert Frenchman has enjoyed a stand out first season with his direct running at pace, his trickery and high stepping, causing genuine excitement amongst a starved Toon Army.
Miggy Almiron, too, can look back without regrets - another long distance runner with the permanent smile of a man who enjoys what he is doing. He started his SJP career unable to buy a goal for love or money but has thankfully added that dimension to a certain extent.
And Jonjo Shelvey whose six goals from a normally deep sitting midfield role makes him Newcastle's PL top scorer to Almiron's eight in all competitions which is also the best in its field.
Shelvey has done his job but outside of those four I cannot think of another who has consistently kept his standards high over a Grand National course.
Yes, there have been the occasional cameo performance from players such as Isaac Hayden or Jamaal Lascelles, a rare jewel amongst pebbles scattered on the beach, but not an eight out of 10 week in and week out.
Certainly no one along the back line has consistently hit the heights. Nor any of United's through-the-middle strikers.
They are the two crucial departments of any football team _ keeping the goals out of your net and scoring them at t'other end. The failure to do both regularly enough is why United are a below-halfway team.
So the message to whom it may concern (and we're not certain exactly who they will be) is crystal clear: a summer's work of recruitment is absolutely crucial. Not any bodies through the door, we've had plenty of those, but quality footballers or ones of unquestionable potential. Your public await a response.
The last week of an elongated season has been tinged with sadness and sweet memories hasn't it?
The funeral of Jack Charlton, a Geordie giant in all senses of the phrase, took place on Tuesday with folk from Ashington to Dublin lining the streets in honour.
Once things return to normal there simply must be a memorial service for the big 'un, as there was for Bobby Robson, because the coronavirus pandemic robbed so many of football's wider famous family from saying their personal goodbye.
On the same day as his funeral another Jackie who was United's European Fairs Cup winning winger would have enjoyed his 77th birthday had cancer not taken him from us back in 2010.
Jackie Sinclair had asked me to break the story of his fight against a deadly disease because he wanted fans to know not wonder. He wanted to go out not with sympathy but head held high.
Years before Terry Hibbitt's wife Jennifer asked me to do the same thing when he was in hospital with terminal cancer.
Hibby was the first of United's 1974 FA Cup final team we lost, Jackie the first of our Euro winners.
If Dubravka or Saint-Maximin can reach the level of public adulation achieved by Big Jack, Hibby, and Wee Jackie then they will indeed have gained a place in history. And, yes, they have that chance.
