THE January transfer window is supposed to offer managers a chance to reshuffle their packs midway through a hectic campaign.

For Newcastle United supporters, however, these four weeks have become synonymous with dread and panic. The month has seldom been utilised as an opportunity for the Tyneside outfit to address their deficiencies - instead offering Mike Ashley a chance to cash in on the latest starlet.

It speaks volumes that Newcastle supporters aren’t anticipating a spending spree this month, despite the club’s well-documented injury crisis. Indeed, there will be more concerns regarding the vultures preparing to swoop for the likes of Moussa Sissoko, Ayoze Perez and Rolando Aarons.

They have a right to worry. Under Ashley’s regime, the club have saved most of their incoming transfer business for the summer. Seemingly unaware of the chaos and instability caused by flogging the club’s best players midway through a campaign, the likes of Shay Given, Andy Carroll and Yohan Cabaye are just some of the names who have departed Tyneside in the winter transfer window.

With the manager so often bearing the brunt of the Toon Army’s frustration, should it not be noted that this constant interfering from upstairs serves as a noose for his neck?

The window hasn’t been completely neglected by the St. James’ Park hierarchy, however. During the victorious promotion charge in 2009-10, a grand total of £2.75m was stumped up to see an already-strong squad over the finish line.

Ashley once again dug deep in 2013 with the Magpies tumbling perilously close to the relegation zone. The bargain bucket of Ligue 1 produced the likes of Moussa Sissoko, Mathieu Debuchy, and Yoan Gouffran but not before the prolific Demba Ba’s sale to Stamford Bridge had been completed.

Ashley only acts when his investment is in danger of slipping into the abyss. With Alan Pardew having left Newcastle in the comfortable position of tenth, the retail entrepreneur won’t be using his financial clout to further the club’s ambition for a Europa League push, but neither will he be needing to bolster a relegation-threatened squad.

As supposed smaller clubs eye up ambitious coups, with Inter Milan-bound Xherdan Shaqiri having appeared on Stoke City’s radar this week, Ashley’s apathy in the transfer market is underwhelming.

The club have only spent big on one player during the January transfer window since Ashley’s arrival in 2007 - the £9m capture of Freiburg’s Papiss Cisse three years ago.

While various media outlets may link the Magpies with continental stars, such as M’Baye Niang and Alexandre Lacazette, the Tyneside faithful know that this has become a window of damage limitation.

If this January is anything like last year’s, Newcastle’s incoming boss has much to fear. Following Cabaye’s last-minute departure to Paris Saint Germain at the end of January, Newcastle’s form subsequently nose-dived.

Just seven more league goals were scored, as the Tyneside club lurched to 11 defeats from the remaining 15 games. The similarities between this term and the last are strikingly similar.

A pre-Christmas purple patch of seven wins from nine had left Newcastle sitting comfortably in the top half. As a result, no investment was made, the inevitable sale of the want-away Cabaye was completed and the team imploded.

With rumours of the French champions returning for Sissoko this time, Geordies are already feeling a nasty case of deja-vu. Then again, there’s always Shola...