I can’t believe it. The 70 year wait is over. Newcastle United have won a domestic trophy!
It’s been an emotional 24 hours and the celebrating won’t stop. Whether you were at Wembley – which was electric, emotional and dominated by black and white all day – watching on your sofa, from St James’ or anywhere around the world, we just witnessed a moment in Newcastle history.
Sat alongside my dad and brother amongst 32,000 Mags, I shed tears after both goals and cried from sheer joy, relief and unparalleled euphoria when that full time whistle went. Everywhere you looked there was raw emotion, strangers hugging and utter disbelief at what we’d finally witnessed after 70 years of hurt.
The momentum shift we saw at the start of last week felt significant and we took that into the final, and then some. We were everything we had to be to win. Aggressive, brave, disciplined, determined and the fans delivered too, backing the lads from first minute to last to drown out the red side of Wembley.
Howe also got it spot on. He clearly worked on managing emotions in the build up to the game – a behind the scenes message was ‘play the game, not the occasion’ – and his selections, which all worked in a 1-0 win over West Ham last Monday, were justified once again.
Pope was superb – his save to deny Jones from making it 2-1 on the hour mark was huge – and Livramento was incredible at both ends, bombing down the line while keeping Salah as quiet as I’ve ever seen him at the other end.
Barnes stepped up to in Gordon’s absence with driving runs to stretch Liverpool’s right side and our midfield three were absolutely colossal, as Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno outworked, outmuscled and outmaneuvered a Liverpool three that couldn’t cope with their pace, power, skill and intensity.
Bruno was superb and got the better of Mac Allister, Tonali was all action and Joelinton’s power was summed up midway through the first half as he bullied Quansah off the ball before giving it large in front of 32,000 Mags who drowned out the red side Wembley for the first 45. Not for the first time, Big Joe was the tone-setter and muscle behind an almighty Newcastle display.
Trippier was also excellent, rolling back the years with some dogged pieces of defending to snuff out Diaz; who would’ve immediately knew he was in for a tough afternoon. His calm headers back to Pope in the opening exchanges helped settle us down and he showed that same sort of warrior spirit that helped blow away Arsenal in that semi-final at St James’.
Last but certainly not least, the centre-backs. Schar had his best game in months after a tricky period and Dan Burn was a man mountain, capping of a dream week with the goal (which was some header!) that kickstarted our historic win and a gigantic defensive effort.
Burn’s opener had us dreaming and Isak’s strike, which came via a brilliant Tino cross and Murphy knock down, was the moment it felt like our 70 year wait would finally come to an end. Iconic celebrations, tears of joy, an enormous roar and scenes of sheer euphoria followed as the full time whistle went.
Me, my dad and my brother came together in one big huddle of ecstasy and emotion. ‘We did it!’ I shouted in pure elation and disbelief while my eyes were full of more happy tears. The players knew what it meant. Bruno cried during his post-match interview on the pitch, Howe’s trophy lift was iconic and the perfect reward for his fierce determination to turn us into winners over the past year and you couldn’t help feel a sense of pride that this group of hard-working, close-knit and lovable Mags had delivered history.
Whether it’s our high-profile post-takeover signings we’ve grown to love like Isak, Bruno and Tonali, the boyhood fans like Burn, Murphy and Longstaff or those who have been here through thick and thin such as Schar or Lascelles (who held the trophy in our dressing room photo), this was the moment they all deserved.
This was our moment. 16th March 2025; the day years of hurt ended. The day legends were made. The day Eddie Howe established himself as a trophy-winning manager. The day the Toon Army took over Wembley and witnessed that magical trophy lift.
Newcastle United; 2025 Carabao Cup winners!
