STEVE Harper has urged Newcastle supporters to be patient with new manager Sam Allardyce, and admitted that the Magpies can no longer think of themselves as Champions League hopefuls.

Next season will be Newcastle's fourth in a row outside of Europe's premier club competition after they finished the current campaign a mammoth 25 points adrift of a Champions League place.

Allardyce's appointment has led to renewed optimism that the Magpies will regain their place amongst the European elite.

But while Harper expects the former Bolton boss to eventually turn the club's fortunes around, he has warned against expecting an instant improvement overnight.

Newcastle's longest-serving player has seen five different managers come and go since moving to St James' Park from Seaham Red Star in 1993, and the 32-year-old is hoping that Allardyce is given the time he needs to make his mark on Tyneside.

"It's all well and good talking about what a big club Newcastle is and the fact that we should be playing in the Champions League, but the main point is we're not at the moment and we have a lot of work to do to get back there," said Harper.

"It's going to take some time to get back to that level and a certain amount of patience is needed.

"If you look at when Bobby Robson was in charge, we were successful. But in his first season, he had to save us from relegation.

"We finished 11th that year and we finished 11th the following year as well.

"People were willing to give Bobby that time because they realised he was a good manager and they saw how much work he had to do to turn things around.

"I think it's the same for Sam and I hope he gets that opportunity.

"It's going to take some time for him to replicate what he had at Bolton.

"We want to improve on this season, definitely, but we can't be expected to break into the top four straight away."

Allardyce has promised a root-and-branch reform of Newcastle's backroom set-up as well as a significant overhaul of the current playing squad.

His reorganisation began on Wednesday with the release of five out-of-contract players, and Harper expects more movement this summer as the Magpies manager chases the "four or five" signings he expects to make before the start of next season.

"I expect it's going to be hectic at Newcastle this summer," said the club's second-choice goalkeeper, who made 25 senior appearances this season.

"The manager is going to make a lot of changes behind the scenes and he's going to want to implement his own ideas. There are players out of contract and they are all leaving, so they need to be replaced.

"The squad wasn't big enough last season anyway, so it needs strengthening and I'm sure the new manager will be looking for new players to bring in."