You know you are progressing massively as a club when other clubs start using you as their benchmark for success and that is exactly what Newcastle United have started to do at least according to their assistant coach Paul Simpson.

Newcastle arrive at the Liberty on Saturday looking up to the Swans and the way that we played last season which they now claim is a benchmark of where they want to be this time around.

The Swans beat many before them last season when they finished eighth in the Premier League, the best performance of the team.

Newcastle on the other hand lived with the threat of relegation right up to the last day of the season so I guess that we shouldn't be massively surprised that they are currently aspiring to be us on that basis.

We have a good record against the Toon in recent years and will be looking to continue that on Saturday.

“They (Swansea) do (offer a benchmark of where NUFC want to be). They had a fantastic season last year." Simpson told their official website

“I think Garry Monk has done a tremendous job in his first managerial role. He seems to have taken (to) it like a duck to water and seems to be enjoying the responsibility.

“He’s got them playing some great football — looking at the videos in our preparation for the game. They play good football, they’ve got great individuals — the likes of Montero, Gomis, Ayew, Shelvey, they’ve got a whole host of players.

“And they’re a footballing side and we want to be a footballing side as well so it’ll be a good test for us. It’ll be a good test of our patience and discipline because there’ll be periods of the game where they’ll have the ball and we’ve got to keep our shape but we’ve got to make sure that we match the for that football.”

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