Poll asks NUFC fans if they still back Rafa Benitez - 10,000 votes - VERY interesting results

Following Saturday's devastating 1-0 defeat to Brighton at St James' Park, The Chronicle ran a poll asking Newcastle fans "Do you still back Rafa?" after 9 games without a win this season - an a stunning 86% said yes.

The poll gained just shy of 10,000 votes, with the answer being emphatic despite some sections of supporters claiming he must go after our worst start to the season since 1898.

Here are the results:

https://twitter.com/ChronicleNUFC/status/1054303827371966464

This poll from fans account NUFC Online also got over 4,000 votes, with the results being even more in Rafa's favour, with 89% voting for 'Rafa In' and just 11% voting 'Rafa Out'.

https://twitter.com/NUFC_Online/status/1054022605672534016

Now, I do accept that any other NUFC manager over the last 10 years would've been given the sack if they'd started the season this badly, however I think it's far to say it's a different ball game when it comes to Rafa Benitez and the situation he finds himself in.

We've had a net spend of just £100,000 since promotion in 2017 - with Brighton's being £86m and even Huddersfield's at £74m. He has not been backed and, if anything, our 10th place finish last season was a huge overachievement which perhaps set him up to fail this year.

We know what Ashley's like, if he sees any sign of surviving on the cheap then he will do it - but Rafa is not a miracle worker.

If you honestly think Benitez is the biggest problem in all of this then you've not been paying attention. There's only one man to blame for the mess we're in and only one man who can save us.