The 2011-12 campaign delivered a spectacular season for Newcastle United as The Magpies finished a stunning 5th in the Premier League, securing a coveted Europa League spot. Leading the charge was the prolific Senegalese striker Demba Ba, whose 16 goals proved decisive in a campaign built on the tactical excellence of Manager of the Year Alan Pardew. The season was also defined by the sensational January arrival of Papiss Cissé, whose 13 goals in 14 games powered the club's late surge. It was a standout year that marked the club's resurgence as a major force and remains a defining chapter in the Magpies' modern history.. The 2012-13 campaign was a dramatic and tumultuous fight for survival for Newcastle United, as The Magpies fell to a precarious 16th-place finish in the Premier League, only securing their top-flight status in the penultimate game after a disastrous mid-season slump. The season, marred by an extensive injury crisis, a lack of squad depth, and the added strain of a memorable run to the Europa League Quarter-finals (losing to eventual finalists Benfica), saw the side's attacking threat divided. Star striker Demba Ba notched 13 crucial goals before his mid-season departure to Chelsea, a tally matched across all competitions by Papiss Cissé, anchoring a tense, hard-fought campaign that remains a defining chapter of a desperate battle to stay in the elite.