Newcastle United’s new CEO David Hopkinson was in attendance at St James’ Park for their 1-0 win against Wolves on Saturday.
Perhaps the Canadian is a good luck charm, as the Magpies picked up their first win of the Premier League season in the first game he attended.
However, it was more likely down to the way Eddie Howe set up his Newcastle United squad, and the way the club’s record signing Nick Woltemade immediately understood his assignment, scoring on debut to secure the three points.
Hopkinson was appointed Newcastle CEO in early September, replacing Darren Eales who officially stepped down from his role on medical grounds. The 54-year-old Hopkinson is expected to take the club into a completely new era, with announcements on a new stadium and training ground expected in the near future.
Newcastle put in a brave performance against a Wolves side that knew they needed to deliver. Thankfully, Woltemade was on hand to secure the win for his new club. While Hopkinson will be impressed with the Magpies’ performance, it was actually something else that caught his attention the day before the game.
David Hopkinson seen walking around St James' Park before a Premier League game between Newcastle United and Wolves.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
David Hopkinson praises Eddie Howe’s training methods at Newcastle United
Newcastle have become recognised for their fast, exciting brand of football since Howe arrived on Tyneside in 2021, with many believing his methods are like the second coming of Kevin Keegan’s entertainers, just with a sturdier defence.
Hopkinson spoke with Howe on his first day as Newcastle CEO and has been engaging with multiple figures within the club to gain a better understanding of exactly what is needed to help drive things forward commercially.
The former Real Madrid chief also watched on as Howe took his final training session ahead of the Wolves game. In a conversation with the local media, and in this case, The Chronicle, Hopkinson praised how ‘intense’ the Newcastle players looked while being tutored by Howe.
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Despite only being involved in a few sessions, Woltemade managed to find the back of the net and secure a dream debut on Tyneside.
Pre-match, Hopkinson attended the St James’ STACK to meet supporters and engage in conversation with them.
David Hopkinson must not take St James’ Park appearances for granted
While fans will be delighted to see Hopkinson in attendance for the game, there is an elephant in the room which needs to be addressed soon.
Newcastle’s stadium decision has been delayed, with PIF referring the plans to an internal committee before it gets given the go-ahead from another funding committee. There is a lot of paperwork to go through, meaning the decision may still be a while away.
While Hopkinson would have been enjoying the game on Saturday, it is also very likely that he was taking in the surroundings and assessing the atmosphere to see whether it is worth staying at St James’ Park and expanding rather than building a new ground.
There is no doubt that Hopkinson will have many more chances to take in the atmosphere of the crowd, with the next opportunity coming in the Champions League game against Barcelona on Thursday. Fans will hope he takes a mental note of things, to ensure whatever decision is made will be the right one for the future of the club and their fans.
In a recent interview, Hopkinson said the stadium decision will take time, leaving fans wondering when the final call will actually come.