That Was the Season that Was - Part 4!

The final part of Stephen's personal retrospective - March to May. Nothing of note here, I don't suppose...

March

Ah, the month of spring, and the bounties it brings. Brighton at home and another stinker of a defeat, made worse by the news I picked up pre-match that Lewis Hall was off to see a specialist. That’s never good. Followed up by Anthony Gordon and his senseless red… Anyone else getting déjà vu.

We’d lost the last game of Feb at Anfield without Isak, but in the first half had created some chances. It felt like they weren’t really pushed. It would be a real tough ask.

Then the week that changed everything. Monday was a hard fought one-nil win against West Ham where Tino did his level best to never kick the ball with his left. Bruno with the winner and maybe a chance. Tuesday and Liverpool are taken to extra time, then penalties, then beaten by PSG. Weds - normal week says Eddie, no extra press. Thurs - Bruno and Eddie do the press, Isak speaks to Sky. Normal game is the message. Saturday I’m on the bus, then train then out in London. Trying to be sensible. Michael Oliver in the hotel, he wasn’t a fan of LFC fans and their ‘banter’ at breakfast.

Sunday… if the 16th March means anything, anything at all for anyone I can’t imagine it will ever be the same again. Dan Burn … header, delirium! Out-singing the scousers with the Blaydon Races over YNWA. Isak scores, another mad celebration, disallowed. Isak scores again, Murphy goes mad, we go mad, we’re going to do it, man!It being Newcastle we had to concede and give ourselves heart failure.

No matter. Those minutes after the whistle. Sam Fender. Scarves. Phone calls home to my kids. Lifting the cup. Getting to celebrate. The greatest moment of my NUFC supporting life. It may never feel like this again. Texting my dad to meet him before the train home. Going to the celebrations on the Moor. But then, no football.

April

I had said to the editors of this fanzine I didn’t care if we won again. I’d achieved what I wanted, what I’d dreamed of since first going to watch NUFC in the late 80s. Brentford at home on a Weds night, Tonali with a screamer from the touchline that I celebrated wildly. Turned out winning is addictive.

Leicester on the Monday night, embarrassing. Schär nearly scores from his own half, they’re worse than Southampton (I stand by this), and Barnes looks embarrassed to finish them off. Thirty games done and we are fifth, and have a cup. So close to a phenomenal season. We destroy Man U at home and it’s hilarious. At one-each they think they’re still in it, they shouldn’t be. They shouldn’t even think it. Cue Harvey Barnes making them look like plasticine models. He’s bloody class.

Eddie on his death bed and we are still winning. Palace at home, one-nil up, and Murphy scored a screamer. Penalty to Palace, Eze atrocious. Half time we are four up, Isak gets a fifth, and for the last twenty we can rotate. Villa away up next, just the four-hour trip to Birmingham. One minute in, one down. Two minutes later they hit the bar. Somehow at half time it was one each. The working editor of this fanzine said to me - what’s the issue? Quickly it was apparent - we were knackered and too slow. By full-time Joelinton was done, Schär was in the deep freeze, and Trippier looked to be running backwards.

An easy win over Ipswich with ten men and needing a penalty, a Burn header, and another from Osula. Sixty-two points and four games to go, in the top three. It would only need another seven points to be certain of Champions League football. Two wins and a draw, should be fine.

May

Ah Brighton away, a game I thought we would win because we had spent the season winning at places I never thought we would. Turns out some things never change, and as the clock ticked towards injury time, we were one down to the player we sold them. Minteh is a good player and could in the future be even better. I’m still not sure what that celebration was about, but if people were giving him stick - fair enough. Isak penalty to draw us level and then Wilson nearly wins it. Another of those moments where you think “what if?” but a solid point, much needed.

A back five and Sven Botman reappearing for Chelsea at home. To be honest, I thought we’d struggle, right until Tonali put us ahead, Jackson smashed into Sven, and I wondered how at half time we were only one up. Then Newcastle seemed to lose any balance of themselves and put in what became a worrying trend to end the season of being knackered and letting the other team dictate. Nick Pope and some poor finishing kept us ahead, Bruno got us a winner, and suddenly Arsenal was a free hit. Sixty-six points, three needed to ensure top five, we were third.

Yet again, first half exceptional but once again a trip to the top two away and no Isak. This was becoming a trend. Then we should’ve been ahead by half time and weren’t. Rice scored and we didn’t really threaten again. But that’s ok, we wouldn’t keep the back five for Everton, they’d be shattered after leaving Goodison, and having no way of improving their league position.

Cue the most excruciating ninety minutes I can remember. I was running a marathon in Edinburgh. I jumped on the train for kick off and managed to find a site to watch the game. Whilst also keeping an eye on my phone on Villa-Man U.

We did play a back five, we were tepid, and they were bothered. Thankfully Martinez decided the worst striker in Manchester was going to score so rugby tackled him. Then Villa had a goal ruled out, then they were one down, and so were we. Then it was two and it didn’t matter. Goal difference and we were there!

Then the power struggle started. Howe wants it done quickly in terms of transfers, and a matter of hours later Paul Mitchell had quit.

Newcastle United… it’s never quiet but this has been the greatest season of supporting NUFC, yet strangely frustrating in equal measure. It’s been great for me to relive it and hopefully 25/26 brings more pots and more stories - the latter always happen.

Stephen Ord

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