Chris Hughton has warned Rafa Benitez he faces a tougher job emulating his own achievement with Newcastle.

The Albion manager took Newcastle straight back up from the Championship to the Premier League when he was in charge of today's opponents in 2009-10.

They did it in style, losing only four games and accumulating 102 points.

Benitez is facing the same task at St James' Park in charge of the hot pre-season favourites for an immediate return to the top flight.

Newcastle have already been beaten twice in the league under Benitez, coming a cropper in their opening two games at Fulham and at home to Huddersfield.

They have recovered with back-to-back wins against Reading and Bristol City and Hughton is impressed by the recruitment of Championship-proven performers like Matt Ritchie and the currently injured Dwight Gayle.

But he still thinks it will be harder for Benitez on Tyneside in a division more competitive than ever.

 

Hughton told The Argus: "Probably it's a tougher job than even when I did it.

"The level of this division I think is higher now but there has been a conscious effort by the club to invest very well.

"They've had decent money coming in, so it's not all one-way, but they have invested really well, got a lot of good players to be at the top of this division.

"We never lost a home game, finished just short of Reading's record points total, but you also have to remember it was my first managerial job.

"They gave me my opportunity to become a manager, so that is something I will always be grateful for.

"It was a very good season. We managed to get back up into the Premier League first go and when I left we were 11th. I always prefer to think more about the good times.

"I certainly had more good times than bad times but I was also on the staff when we went down. That was incredibly disappointing. I saw what it meant to the club."

Hughton has never forgotten the backing he received from Newcastle's fanatical supporters following his controversial sacking.

"After I'd gone it was just a general good feel from the supporters," he said.

"It's always a difficult time when you leave a club. From that moment I was always thinking about getting back into the game as soon as possible and not to look back, to look forward.

"But I got a lot of good support from the supporters, a lot of messages, and that always helps. They appreciated the job I did there, which was nice."

That appreciation will be reaffirmed as Hughton attempts to make it third time lucky on his return to St James' Park.

He suffered successive narrow defeats going back there with Norwich in the Premier League.

Newcastle blogger Ed Harrison said: "Chris (along with assistant manager Colin Calderwood, below) will get a huge welcome on Tyneside and he will deserve it.

The Argus: "Chris still hasn't received the full credit he deserves for the way he brilliantly managed the team and got us promoted from the Championship in 2010 with a massive 102 points and 30 wins.

"His reward was to get fired in early December of that year, with managing director Derek Llambias the main instigator of that daft decision."