It is understood they have made formal contact with Keith Harris, chairman of investment bankers Seymour Pierce, who has once again been engaged by owner Mike Ashley to sell the club.

However, managing director Derek Llambias has revealed talks have taken place with “three or four” other interested parties, and prospective buyers are currently mobilising their forces in the wake of Ashley’s £100m (€71.3m) ’come-and-get-it’ offer.

Little detail has emerged from St James’ Park with the current regime desperate to get out after a disastrous two years in charge, which resulted in relegation from the Barclays Premier League at the end of last season.

However, South African and Omani consortia have been linked with the club, while former chairman Freddy Shepherd is also rumoured to have been asked to spearhead a bid.

Indeed, Shepherd has reportedly already met Alan Shearer, the man who ended the last campaign as manager and the fans’ favourite for the job on a permanent basis, to discuss possible ways forward.

But neither he nor the Profitable Group was making any formal comment as the rumours grew in intensity.

Supporters craving some positive news from a club which is imploding before their eyes could be forgiven for starting to believe there are better times around the corner.

However, they have suffered false dawns before.

Ashley initially put the club up for sale following Kevin Keegan’s departure as manager in September last year as furious fans hit out at the way in which his ’Cockney mafia’ was running it.

Seven consortia formally registered an interest, with some voicing their intention to re-appoint Keegan and provide transfer funds.

None was able to strike a deal – the price then was nearer £300m (€214m) – and Ashley, perhaps believing he had weathered a storm, took the club back off the market in December.

But with the Magpies’ decline having accelerated alarmingly under his continuing stewardship, the point of no return has been reached and passed.

Newcastle’s need is growing by the day – with a week to go before the Coca-Cola Championship fixtures are released, they have an owner who does not want to be there, no manager and a squad of players they cannot afford – and several of whom they do not want – with no-one to take the decisions which need to be taken before a recovery can begin.