Thru Black & White Eyes - Pump It Up -24/Mar/25
A week of walking on air and thoughts turn to the future and the desire for more ...
We’ve all had worse weeks to coin a phrase used by Dan Burn after an unmatched few days of a call up by the national team and the small matter of him scoring what has already become an iconic goal in the history of Newcastle United. The week just gone has seen us in a state of unequalled joy, reflecting on that incredible day at Wembley on Sunday 16/Mar/25.
With the lads variously in a Middle East training camp or away on international duty, the homecoming with the League Cup trophy has had to be deferred until this coming Saturday (29/Mar/25) and an event on the Town Moor which has been estimated to have attracted a minimum of 100,000 Black & White souls to have registered their interest in attending.
Many of us would like a traditional open top bus parade and my money is on that happening in some format. Its inconceivable the authorities in question can’t organise such an event that is common elsewhere in the UK and which we’ve experienced previously in the city going back decades after finals we’ve both won and lost. It would be a poor reflection on the city were it unable to organise an event which is a bog standard event in most major conurbations around the country.
Admittedly, the victory tour action plan at the council might need updating. Just get it sorted.
I’ll be honest I couldn’t understand what a minority of people were getting worked up about with United showing the League Cup at the game between Newcastle United Women and the manky mob from down the road. Personally, a crowd of 38K+ inside SJP seeing the Cup raised aloft by Darren Eales and ex-captain and Fairs Cup winner, Bob Moncur in front of a lot of children and families seemed to be a good thing to me. I’ll never forget Eddie Howe and the players in front of the massed ranks of our support at Wembley. I don’t understand a beef with it being displayed at a Women’s game at SJP. No-one suffered from that in my opinion.
I suppose now we might be getting back to something approaching normal, thoughts drift to what happens next?
There is a risk the euphoria creates a complacency in the ranks and the players under Eddie’s charge who think they can coast for the rest of the season with European football already in the bag. I’d desperately hope that doesn’t become the case. There is so much to play for and we can and should qualify for Champions League football next season.
There are ten fixtures of this season remaining and there are a lot of very winnable games to play. At home Brentford, Chelsea, Man Utd, Palace, Ipswich and Everton on paper all offer wins, albeit we have memories of SJP defeats to Fulham, West Ham, Brighton x2 and Bournemouth to counsel us against arrogance. Those Chelsea and Man Utd games are enormous for different reasons, firstly because Chelsea are a direct competitor for a CL spot and secondly because Man Utd, despite their current travails are still Man Utd after all.
Away from home trips to Leicester, Villa, Brighton and Arsenal are challenging. It would be a major surprise were we not to collect three points at Leicester but the other three are tough and will require a huge effort to keep the points rolling in.
But Champions League football is there for the taking in my opinion and the energy gained from the League Cup win should fuel the United booster rockets to get us over the line. A League Cup win alongside a season of Champions League football to look forward to would be an incredible reference sell to potential recruits in the summer as well as a convincing case for our elite players to commit themselves long term to Newcastle United. Obviously, Champions League football would be brilliant for our finances and the dreaded PSR position.
Off the park, the club still has a lot to do of course. Despite Craig Hope’s (The Mail) Exclusive claiming United are committed to moving to a new 65,000 stadium on Leazes Park, there remains no club confirmation of that happening or crucially in my opinion, how it will be paid for.
Similar can be said of the new training ground where there has been speculation the club could move from Benton to a new facility on Gosforth Racecourse or Woolsington. News on what will happen with both projects has slipped from imminent last summer to early next year (2025) to unconfirmed reports in the media which may or may not be result of off the record briefings with selected journalists etc. Nothing as yet is real.
I don’t think there could be a better time than now for United to reveal what their real plans are and start the ball rolling. Or not, whatever the case.
We are probably at the end of Phase 1 of the club’s strategy post takeover. Howe has successfully delivered us from the relegation threat he inherited from his predecessor, delivered Champions League football, two League Cup finals and a League Cup win. We are now poised for a return to Champions League football (though that has to be fought for tooth and claw) but most importantly the club has learned what is needed to win.
United must maintain this momentum on and off the park for us to become the club we hope PIF want us to be (and Yasir al-Rumayyan - PIF Chairman and Newcastle United supremo has very publicly stated he wants us to be number one (Amazon Documentary) and on the pitch at Wembley told us this trophy win would not be the last). There has of course been investment after fourteen years of studied neglect but much more is required in players and in the club’s infrastructure to elevate the club as a sporting and business entity. I’m aware of how dead-eyed and soulless that last point is but sadly that is the world of modern football. It seems we are at a pivotal moment in the development of Newcastle United.
Everyone at United will need to come back down to earth and get into the business at hand. Obviously someone at SJP will have to find where the trophy cabinet is and we’ll have this Saturday to enjoy but the real business is at SJP on Wednesday 2/Apr/25 when Brentford attempt to become party poopers.
I’m sure that game will be played amidst a lot of emotion following seventy years since our previous glimpse of silverware (FAC winners 1955) but the backslapping will have had to stop well before then and I suspect Eddie Howe and his coaches will be focused on ensuring Thomas Frank’s team leave Gallowgate empty-handed.
Let’s enjoy Saturday … then forget it and get back to the serious business of Newcastle United winning football matches so we can have more moments of the type we have had lately.
Keep On, Keepin’ On …
Michael Martin @TFMick1892.bsky.social
Old Hopey loves a bit of ITK drama, he correctly goes on about how 'one empty seat' would see the whole model of demand/supply/income collapse - as we saw recently under Ashley. I still think Leazes Park is a pipe dream, a lovely dream, but so many hurdles it's a good 5 years away even if it was feasible, and probably more - especially as nothing seems to have actually been 'done' to pave even the most initial of paths. For now, let's enjoy SJP, a shiny pot and sell-out crowds for the first team. Hopefully those without STs will take up other options to see the Black & White Stripes at reserve team / youth fixtures, when they are unfortunate in the ballots.
Great stuff Michael as per. Just livin in the moment at the moment. Surely if they can organise a full-scale pop concert on the town moor they can arrange a bus to drive aboot a bit?! Kinder to some of us older fellas who don’t wanna be hanging around between four and eight anyway in any circumstances:)
My fave Gibbo is on Total Sport tonight by the way, modestly recalling how he was the first one to suggest the remodelling of Joelinton. He was- I remember the park bench I was sitting on when reading the suggestion- thinking what nonsense- and now look! It’s staggering what’s happened to us in the last three to four years. I lay the blame for this success squarely at Eddie Howe’s door.