The Magpies plummeted out of the Barclays Premier League at the end of last season in turmoil on and off the pitch, and the ongoing uncertainty with owner Mike Ashley looking for a buyer has not improved the situation.

Macdonald knows from bitter personal experience how destructive that could be, and is hoping for a swift resolution so planning for a new start can begin.

He told the Evening Chronicle: "When a football club, like Newcastle right now, has no direction from the top or in the dressing room, it can only go one way: down.

"When you hit such lows as Newcastle have, on and off the pitch these last few months, the one thing guaranteed to follow if you don't put things right after relegation is another relegation.

"I experienced it myself with Bobby Robson at Fulham back in 1969.

"He was brought in after relegation from the old Division One, but the older players at the club, who had been his team-mates, didn't want to change.

"A rebellion happened and Bobby was sacked. The senior players won the battle, but they didn't win the war because Fulham got relegated again.

"I'm not saying Newcastle will do the same, but the formula is there for it to happen.

"If people are thinking Newcastle are automatically just going to bounce back, they will be massively disappointed.

"Things must be changed at the club. Why are things not being changed?"

Macdonald called for Alan Shearer to be appointed manager as a matter of urgency to begin the process of rebuilding the team.

He said: "Things are just being left to drift on the premise that the club is being sold, but why?

"No new owner in his right mind would not appoint Alan Shearer as manager, so why is he not already in the job and cracking on with what has to be done this summer?"