As I sat down at my desk, comrade Suzanne Beishon told me about an article she had stumbled across while on the FC United of Manchester Facebook page.

The article was from a Newcastle fan who was asking the question: “Is FC United of Newcastle the only way forward?”

The club is in absolute chaos. Seven defeats in a row. Stuck on 35 points since February and manager John Carver, for the second time this season, has had a touchline spat with supporters.

The club have stagnated and there seems to be a sense that Newcastle no longer has any ambition. Competitions such as the FA Cup are treated as distractions to the ultimate goal, Premier League survival.

Once that is guaranteed, for some reason the side packs up for the season and just aimlessly wanders towards the finish line.

The relationship between supporters and the players is non-existent. The soul is being sucked out of St James’ Park on a weekly basis and fans have had enough.

They want change but billionaire owner Mike Ashley has no intention of selling up.

Boycotting the Tottenham match a fortnight ago, along with supporters standing up in the 34th minute — to highlight the fact that there is £34 million sitting comfortably in the club’s account and not being reinvested into the squad — seems to have been totally ignored by those in charge.

So a possible solution? Break away and form their own club like disgruntled Manchester United fans did over a decade ago.

The writer used FC United and AFC Wimbledon as success stories. Both clubs were set up due to supporters being disillusioned with what was going on at Manchester United and Wimbledon respectively.

United had been taken over by the Glazers, who in turn plunged the club into debt, while Wimbledon had moved to Milton Keynes and renamed themselves MK Dons.

With the help of fans, former players and fundraising, two new clubs were born and have enjoyed remarkable success in a short space of time.

In the 13 years since the Dons were formed, they have risen from the ninth tier of English football to League Two with five promotions in nine seasons.

FC United have a similar track record of flying through the lower levels of the English football pyramid.

Last week’s 1-0 victory over Stourbridge secured the Northern Premier League title and they are now two leagues away from the football league.

Their new 5,000 capacity stadium — which opens next month and hosts Benfica in a friendly — shows how far they have come in a short space of time and with passionate fans, the possibilities are endless.

It is an interesting avenue for Newcastle fans to pursue but there is no guarantee that a new team will enjoy the same success or how many fans would get behind a new side being formed.

From reading the comments section on the article, it has received some positive responses with fans open to the idea.

The thought of having their own club excites them, a world away from the Ashley regime and an alternative to seeing the club they love become a shadow of its former self.

The Times northern correspondent George Caulkin wrote a passionate and moving piece on the Ashley Out site.

He spoke about how he grew up on the terraces at St James’ Park and the pain he and other Toon fans feel as they struggle to come to grips with what Newcastle is becoming.

“Over the last couple of years, Newcastle have made me want to turn away. From this loveless club, this lack of access and openness, from this cold, hard, business.”

These are strong words from Caulkin and for anyone who has a very strong affiliation to a club, be it in football or any other sport, to contemplate walking away from the team is very hard.

It is why others are a bit sceptical. They have a history with the stadium, the black and white kit and legends such as Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley. To just pick up and start again isn’t as easy as other clubs have made it.

Without a few wealthy fans or ex-players backing the idea, it will be difficult to get off the ground. Not to mention finding a stadium to ground-share and getting approval from the Football Association and League if they are to be recognised as a professional club and not just an amateur Sunday League side.

Plus, as some pointed out, when does the finger start being pointed at the players who look like their minds are already on the beach?

There are some very talented players who are performing well below what is expected of them and should be doing a lot better. A new manager next season, alongside some new signings, and things could improve. A move away from St James’ Park may not be the way to go about things.

Toon fans aren’t the only ones who you could justifiably argue that they deserve a new start so where do you draw the line?

Hull City would have a case if the name change proposed by owner Assem Allam goes through.

Blackpool fans have been sued by owner Karl Oyston and have led multiple protests against those in charge as they get ready for League One football following relegation from the Championship. It wouldn’t be a surprise if some of the people on the terraces are looking for a way out and a breakaway club is one of the options.

Cardiff City supporters could have walked away when the club changed its colours from blue to red. They didn’t, protested and managed to force owner Vincent Tan to reverse his decision.

Caulkin ends with the paragraph: “Ashley owns Newcastle, but he is not Newcastle. He is not the blessed air in that stadium, the air that you breathe and which your relatives and friends and idols inhaled and exhaled before you.

“He is not the club. The club is your memories, the club is inside you, that power, that meaning, that identity, that black and white beauty, those long bus journeys, those bleary mornings and late nights, belonging and feeling, loving and hurting. Those good days. Your family. Your club. The club is you.”

Newcastle fans have attempted to stand up and fight for their club but to no avail. How much more can they put up with before FC United of Newcastle is the best way to go?