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However, one aspect of the last campaign that prevented the club from finishing higher up the table was their home form. Newcastle recorded some remarkable results during their first season back in the Premier League - including the 5-1 win over Sunderland and the magnificent 4-4 draw with Arsenal - but still they only managed to win six of their nineteen home matches. Of the fourteen home games that Newcastle didn't win, eight were draws and six were defeats.
Fast forward to the present day, Alan Pardew's side are 5th in the Premier League and have only lost two home games in the 2011/2012 campaign so far. Only Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion have experienced triumph at St James' Park this season. Arsenal; Tottenham and Swansea have all left Tyneside with a hard earned point, while seven teams have come away empty handed.
There are a number of reasons why Newcastle have been able to turn around their home form so dramatically. The first and most obvious one is the crowd, attendances at St James' Park are up on the previous campaign, with the lowest turnout coming in August when the Magpies beat Fulham 2-1 in front of 42,684. Since then the majority of home gates have been in excess of 48,000.
As a result, the intimidating atmosphere for which Newcastle's historic home is famous has been a constant feature throughout the season. It was especially evident back in early January, when the raucous home support fed off an inspired Newcastle performance to help their side gain a 3-0 win over Champions Manchester United.
The challenge for teams that come to St James' Park is to silence the crowd, but this is a task that has become increasingly difficult in recent times, due to the incredible improvement Newcastle have made as a team in almost every area of the field.
While the Magpies' defence has occasionally struggled to deal with pace, they have proved to be a unit that is almost impossible to break down at home. Newcastle have conceded just twelve goals at home this season, less than both Manchester United and Tottenham. It is also worth noting that six of these goals came in the defeats to Chelsea and West Brom.
A breach of the Newcastle backline does not automatically lead to a goal for the opposition these days, as 23-year-old Dutch keeper Tim Krul continues to enjoy a phenomenal year. A tremendous shot stopper who is dominant at set pieces and cool under pressure, the Holland international has been integral to Newcastle's continuing renaissance.
The stability and strength of Newcastle's defence has allowed Pardew's side more freedom as an attacking force, the Magpies are able to be direct and confident going forward, safe in the knowledge that the back four has the ability to deal with any number of things thrown in their direction.
Newcastle's primary striker Demba Ba has been in devastating form as a consequence of his side's fluid and enthusiastic attacking approach, the Senegalese hitman has notched sixteen goals in what has been an ultra impressive year for the former Hoffenheim man. There will also be confidence on Tyneside that new striker Papiss Cisse can go on a similar scoring run after his stunning debut winner against Aston Villa last Sunday.
Strength in depth has played a key role in Newcastle's success this season. Ba; Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye have all been absent at certain points of the season for a variety of reasons, but the likes of Danny Guthrie and James Perch have filled in admirably and made vital contributions in a number of Newcastle victories this term.
Solid in defence and deadly in attack with a versatile and large first team squad, Newcastle possess all the qualities of a top six side and are a tough nut to crack on home turf. The added, and not so secret ingredient, is the crowd, which on its day can will an opposing team into near submission. In this campaign, the two have worked in perfect harmony, turning St James Park into a fortress that is once again feared by teams up and down the land.
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