It was with heavy hearts that most neutral soccer fans laid their heads to rest on Sunday evening. The events of the day in the English Premier League had seen the much-loved Newcastle club have their hopes boosted by a spectacular Manchester United goal at Hull, only to see them dashed by a cruelly deflected own-goal at Aston Villa, which put an end to their top flight existence.

In the aftermath of this catastrophe the hot dogs on the Memorial Day barbecue didn’t quite taste the same while Tyneside fans were facing up to life in the far less glamorous Championship after living the good life for the last 16 years. Indeed it was only four years ago that the northeast club was considered as one of English football’s "top five" -- a quintet of teams who were the only ones capable of winning the Premiership.

That "top five" was soon reduced as the Geordies drifted out of the financial reckoning, leaving a Gang of Four -- Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal as the only clubs capable of winning England’s top prize. It has been suggested that the Gunners are about to be cut adrift as the other three continue to monopolize the money and success -- a notion which may be confirmed in the coming season (all of which is a good advertisement of the American style salary cap).

So who is to blame for the demise of Newcastle United?

It’s easy to blame pubic enemy number one, Mike Ashley, but the portly supporter-turned-owner never took to the field in the black and white. His wallet was open for the most part, and although he is said to have meddled too much in team affairs, several players who were considered top international class when bought were brought in because of his funding.

Kevin Keegan apparently saw the smoke caused by the intrusive owner but was the only one to leave when he yelled "fire". Is the former England manager and self-proclaimed Geordie fans lover to blame?

Perhaps cleanup man Chris Hughton, who steps in whenever there is a managerial casualty, is the culprit? Or perhaps heart attack victim and predecessor to the current boss, Joe Kinnear, took the club in the wrong direction?

Newcastle was placed in the hands of its favorite son, Alan Shearer, for the final weeks of the season, and although the enthusiasm and emotion of the fans was palpable following his appointment, the living legend failed to postpone the inevitable in Birmingham on Sunday.

Surely the great man isn’t to blame?

Perhaps the aforementioned, folks who surely had the club’s best interests at heart, were victims of the times in which we live.

Consider the plight of Leeds United, a giant of the English game who featured in a couple of European club finals in their time and went close again only to lose out to Valencia in the 2001 Champions League semifinal. There were lots of long faces at Bolton on that May day in 2004 when the Yorkshire club were relegated, but the tears of one young boy in their midst remains with me to this day. Ditto Nottingham Forest.

So who is responsible for the demise of Newcastle United?

Possibly no one.

The truth is that the modern day club needs an economist as much as someone who can put the ball in the net. And perhaps clubs like Newcastle (and Leeds) need to return to bygone times when they produced their own talent (with the aid of proper coaching) instead of importing expensive foreigners with no real connection to their employers other than the pay check.

Of the future of his beloved Newcastle, Shearer said on Sunday, "It needs to be filled with people who love this club. We have to get over what happened at Aston Villa. We need to look at it with a clear head. I will give them (the owners) my opinion on what is wrong and what needs to be done.”

Those of us saddened by the plight of Newcastle United certainly hope he gets it right.