Newcastle tend to give familiar faces a warm welcome back to St James’ Park.

That was the case with Chris Hughton when he returned as Albion boss on three occasions, bringing one win, one draw and one defeat.

The locals applauded Kazenga LuaLua when he went back in Albion colours.

And it was similar with Tim Krul, even though he was only an unused sub.

The Dutch goalkeeper was applauded by the Gallowgate End when he went to that goalmouth for a warm-up at half-time.

Saturday’s game will be a bit different when the Toon Army get the chance to see who they could have had.

Yankuba Minteh stands a good chance of starting for Albion against the club who let him go this summer.

The Gambia winger has been away on international duty, scoring a late equaliser and setting up a winner in two close-fought games with Madagascar.

He also scored last time out for his club against Tottenham.

Now comes the chance to shine against the club who let him go ahead of the unofficial third transfer deadline this year, on June 30, to meet profit and sustainability targets.

The fact his return to Tyneside is already being built up in the North East as a point of interest in this fixture underlines some misgivings, or at least concern, that Toon might have seen a potential gem taken from under their noses.

Minteh caused immediate excitement among Albion fans with two fine finishes on the pre-season Japan trip, against Kashima Antlers and Tokyo Verdy.

And he had well and truly won over curious fans by the time he forced a penalty at QPR by closing down three defenders and winning the ball back before being fouled.

He has looked raw and imprecise at times. But an assist on debut at Everton was probably as encouraging as the way he was later injured - making an important tackle back in his own box as he back-tracked diligently.

The concern in the North East appears that he will now go back to haunt the club who let him go before he had even played for them.

And there is an irony that is already being pointed out - that a dangerous winger who is also tenacious against the ball and presses high up is currently the one missing piece in Eddie Howe’s team.

In some ways, Minteh’s goal-making contribution against Madagascar this week summed him up.

In a good position, he initially gave the ball away with a poor pass.

But he was alert enough to get it back, elusive enough to beat his defender and then whipped over a perfect cross for his colleague Musa Barrow to turn home at the far post.

Fabian Huerzeler quickly made it clear he did not like talking about individuals.

But he obliged in a hot and airless media room at the National Stadium in Tokyo after the second friendly when it was put to him Minteh was already causing excitement back home.

Huerzeler said: “He has big potential. It’s only his offensive skills.

“It’s how he works without the ball, how he reacts when he loses the ball and that’s something we are really happy about.

“He’s a good listener.

“He tries to listen and then immediately tries to do what we say to him.

“That’s a very good attitude.”

There will be eyes on him should he get the chance to show that attitude at Newcastle.

And yet the irony is that, had he stayed at Toon, there is a good chance he would not have been involved in this match.

Football writer Scott Wilson of Newsquest title The Northern Echo believes Newcastle would have sent him out on loan, as they did last season when he shone for Feyenoord.

He told readers: “While Brighton felt they knew what they were getting when they signed the Gambia international, there was always a sense that Newcastle never really grasped the scale of the talent they had on their hands.

“Eddie Howe was non-committal when speaking about Minteh at the start of the summer, and while he has subsequently bemoaned the need to sell both Minteh and (Elliott) Anderson, the general feeling is that he was more perturbed by the loss of the latter.”

Two days after Minteh signed for Albion, technical director David Weir spoke about the deal at the press conference staged to introduce Huerzeler.

Weir’s message was one of giving Minteh time, being patient.

It may well be that he is ahead of schedule with Albion: He might have Newcastle wishing they could turn the clock back if he shines on Saturday.