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Sky Sports News HQ reporter Keith Downie lifts the lid on how Newcastle persuaded Rafa Benitez to stick with them in the Championship. Marian Gaborik Jersey ... When Rafa Benitez insisted on having a break-clause inserted in his three-year Newcastle contract in March, the Spaniard was making it clear he did not want to lower himself to the Championship.Fast-forward two months and the man who began the season in charge of Real Madrid has gone full circle: hes swapped the Champions League for the Championship. Rafael Benitez will continue to manage Newcastle and try and get them back into the Premier League The 56-year-old will lead Newcastle in Englands second tier next season, after the club gave him in writing the assurances he demands to continue in the St James Park hot-seat.The former Chelsea and Liverpool boss has been won over by the groundswell of support for him from the Newcastle fans, even though he failed to stave off relegation.An hour after a packed St James Park sang his name throughout a rather bizarre season-ending 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham, Benitez was given the promise of full backing by club owner Mike Ashley. But the Spaniard wanted it in writing. Benitez waves to the Newcastle supporters after a 5-1 win over Tottenham What followed was a succession of meetings between Sports Direct tycoon Ashley, managing director Lee Charnley and Benitez himself, as the finer details of a watertight contract were drawn up by lawyers.Benitez effectively made it clear to the St James Park power-brokers in the hours after that final-day win over Spurs that he would be willing to stay - provided he was delivered the assurances he felt would ensure he gets them back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking.What the Spaniard wanted, in essence, was to guarantee a structure was put in place that would mean if he made a mistake it would not cost Newcastle promotion.Although Benitez has managed in the lower leagues of Spain in his early days as a coach, he has never experienced the ultra-competitive, high-intensity English Championship. Benitez is expected to bring in a number of summer signings As Newcastles fans became increasingly worried about the wall of silence from their club last week, lawyers from both parties were working on a contract to ensure Benitez didnt suffer the same fate as some of his predecessors, who at times had to work with their hands tied.The former Real Madrid manager, who was keen to take a job in the north of England to be close to his family on The Wirral, wanted in writing the full control of transfers to a squad that will need overhauling in the years to come.Benitez also wanted inked promises that he could bring in his own scouting staff, and assurances of a budget for this summer and then again next January. A budget that will be the biggest in the Football League.This is a team whose net spend was second only to Manchester City last season; Mike Ashley will have to open his wallet once more. Rafa Benitez wanted written assurances of a budget for this summer and then again next January. A budget that will be the biggest in the Football League. Keith Downie He will also have to rip up the entire template thats to blame for taking Newcastle down.It is also thought that Benitez will make use of the loan market this season, with high-up contacts across Europe willing to allow their players to play in front of Newcastles passionate support.But aside from the written assurances, it was the full backing of those 50,000 St James Park fanatics that twisted Benitezs arm - and allowed him a vision of what can be achieved at this sleeping giant of a football club.They sang his name throughout the 5-1 win over Spurs. Benitez could at times be seen gazing out in bewilderment that this was coming from fans of a side who just four days earlier had been sent spinning down to the Championship. Benitez has asked for written assurances from the club before extending his stay Those same fans celebrated with gusto when news filtered through that Benitez was on his way to Tyneside on Wednesday afternoon to complete the paperwork and be unveiled for a second time.The arrival of Benitezs own scouting network will most likely mean an end to Graham Carrs tenure at the club.Carr, the man who brought Yohan Cabaye, Matthieu Debuchy and Cheick Tiote to Newcastle, was lauded by Ashley at first but the recent arrivals of Remy Cabella, Florian Thauvin and Seydou Doumbia have cast doubt over his eye for a player.Benitez promised the fans he would make his decision within a fortnight. Hes done just that, with three days to spare.He wanted to leave some time on the off-chance a bigger club came calling. There was interest from a couple of clubs in Spain, but neither got anywhere. Reported overtures from Everton didnt emerge, and Benitez pledged his future to Newcastle. A future that hes mapped out so that only a third of it will be spent in the Championship. Also See: Benitez to stay at Newcastle From the Bernabeu to Burton Tiger Williams Kings Jersey . Rodgers was ruled out on Friday by Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Matt Flynn will make his second consecutive start for the Packers. Tanner Pearson Jersey .Y. - The Buffalo Sabres reassigned forward Sam Reinhart to the WHLs Kootenay Ice on Friday. 403 Forbidden . General Manager Sam Presti said the three-time All-Star had knee swelling that would not subside, and the procedure was intended to solve the problem. He said doctors determined that a loose stitch was to blame for the swelling, that Westbrooks lateral meniscus has healed properly and the procedure was successful. MONTREAL -- Rene Bourque scored three goals as the Montreal Canadiens chased goalie Henrik Lundqvist and defeated the New York Rangers 7-4 on Tuesday to stave off elimination in the NHL Eastern Conference final. The Rangers, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, will have another chance to book a trip to the Stanley Cup final in Game 6 on Thursday night in New York. Bourques second goal proved to be the game-winner and came just after the Rangers came back to tie the game at 4-4 in the second period. "Everybody was ready for this game," said Bourque. "We knew the situation. We got a big power-play goal early and a few others. "It was just a see-saw battle back and forth. (Dale) Weise made a great play to me. I called for the puck and somehow it got through. It was nice to get in there." Alex Galchenyuk, Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal, which outshot the Rangers 28-27 Derek Stepan, playing with a guard on his helmet to protect a broken jaw suffered from a Brandon Prust hit in Game 3, returned to the lineup to score twice for the Rangers. Chris Kreider had a goal and three assists and Rick Nash also scored. "It was just a strange game," said Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. "It was a different game from what weve seen so far in the series, but now were going home." At 10:41 of the third, Rangers defenceman John Moore was given a major penalty and was ejected for a blindside, open ice hit on Dale Weise that was almost identical to Prusts hit on Stepan. Weise was wobbly when he got up and went for treatment, but returned to the bench late in the period. "The league will do what it has to do," Vigneault said of the hit. "John is not the type of person who would try to hurt someone, but it was a late hit." It was a night of strange bounces and spotty goaltending, even if New Yorks best chance of the game saw Carl Hagelins shot stopped by the end of Dustin Tokarskis stick midway through the first period. Lundqvist was pulled in favour of Cam Talbot after allowing four goals on 18 shots, while Tokarski stayed in despite allowing four on his first 14. Tokarski was especially strong in the third period through a string of New York power plays. "Everybody talks about how (Lundqvist) is a great goalie: Has he been better than (Tokarski) this series?" asked Bourque. "I dont thinkk so. Rogie Vachon Jersey. "(Tokarski) made some big saves for us too. We had a couple bad bounces but our power play was the difference. We got some traction, got a couple goals in tight." The Rangers did a good job of cancelling the initial rush Montreal gets from its pre-game buildup in winning the opening two games of the series, but Ginette Renos O Canada worked to plan this time. Only 22 seconds in, Kreider was sent off for tripping and the Canadiens converted when Galchenyuk tipped in P.K. Subbans point shot from the edge of the crease at 1:48. Stepan tied it at 10:44 of the first on a 30-foot shot off a rush that fooled Tokarski. Plekanec restored the lead with a similar goal at 12:24 as he swiped the puck between two defenders and saw it beat Lundqvist. The second period was a festival of goals. Pacioretty got it started on a gritty feed from Brendan Gallagher at 3:44 and Bourque gave Montreal a three-goal lead when he spun and scored from close range. That chased Lundqvist. Nash whipped a puck at the Montreal net and saw it go in off defenceman Andrei Markovs skate 9:48, Stepan got his second in a mass scramble in front of Tokarski at 12:06 and Kreider tied it on a power play at 14:12 on a tic-tac-toe play after Subban lost his stick. The Bell Centre went quiet, but exploded again when Bourque got his second at 15:10 as he beat Talbot from 10 feet out. Several hats were thrown on the ice after Weise sent Bourque in alone to get his third of the game 6:33 into the third period. Desharnais scored into an empty net during a New York power play at 15:43 and crowd sang Ole Ole in celebration. "I think youre starting to see us playing Montreal Canadiens hockey," said Pacioretty. "I dont think youve really seen it in this series just yet. It was great to see a little taste of it. I think we still have more. I think we still have little things to work on. And it should be a fun one going back there." Notes: Canadiens defenceman Alexei Emelin, who appears to have been playing on bad knee, sat out with an undisclosed injury. Rookie Nathan Beaulieu played on the third pairing, while Mike Weaver moved onto the second pair with Andrei Markov. . . With eight playoff goals, Bourque is only one short of his total in 63 regular season games. . . Prust served the second of his two-game suspension and can return for Game 6. . . With Stepan back, J.T. Miller sat for New York. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '