Glenn Roeder railed against the “shameful thought” that, after seven months of toil and turmoil, Newcastle had nothing to play for. In his programme notes, Freddy Shepherd, the chairman, wrote about the “pride, points and honour” at stake, but the fine words could not disguise a club’s inner void. All that May will bring is Alan Shearer’s testimonial.

The result mattered, all right, but in tangible terms only to Tottenham Hotspur. Newcastle are a confidence team and, after consecutive defeats by Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Charlton Athletic, Lee Bowyer’s second-minute goal allowed them to play without fear. Coursing with nervous adrenalin, Spurs were stiff-limbed, hurried and awkward.

Without Ledley King, Tottenham were transformed into Tottering. Martin Jol, the head coach, was scathing about his team’s “unforgivable” defending, but their campaign does retain an edge. Fourth since December, they must face Manchester United, Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers with the lurking knowledge that Highbury glory in the Champions League could whisk away a place in the tournament.

“Finishing fifth or sixth would not be a letdown because European competition of any sort is a massive thing for this club,” Michael Carrick, the England midfield player, said. “But the Champions League is huge and achievable.”

Spurs did not lack all quality. They equalised through Robbie Keane after a wriggling dribble by Aaron Lennon and even after Shola Ameobi had stubbed a rebound shot beyond Paul Robinson and Alan Shearer had converted a penalty awarded for Edgar Davids’s shove on Bowyer, Keane struck the crossbar and a post, and Jermaine Jenas spurned an open net.

Jenas had a nightmare; tormented for his departure from Newcastle last August and his alleged description of the city as a “goldfish bowl”, but even the one-eyed observer could not question the basic logic of his decision.

The first half may have contained Newcastle’s most polished football, but what did it prove? So many questions: who can replace Shearer, where does Michael Owen’s future lie, will Kieron Dyer, who earns £80,000 a week, play regularly (he was “rested” here), what will become of £9.5 million Albert Luque and £8.5 million substitute Jean-Alain Boumsong?Where is the planning and stability?

A permanent manager would help and Shepherd insisted on Saturday that an appointment is close. Martin O’Neill, who is also a candidate for the England job, has been approached, met, is the first-choice and favourite. “Our aim is to have the new managerial structure in place before the last ball of the season is kicked,” Shepherd said.

The importance is undeniable. “This is one of the biggest decisions in the history of this club,” Shepherd said. “The leading clubs are opening up a larger and larger gap between themselves and the others — and we have to maintain ourselves as one of those leading clubs.” Saturday was an entertaining and frustrating reminder of what once was.