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Mark Carruthers reflects on an incredibly emotional weekend following Newcastle United - and THAT Wembley win
Wipe away the tears, cut through the emotion and sum up a truly historic moment.
This is your job, this is what you’ve worked towards, you put down thoughts into words in what sometimes becomes a coherent piece of work.
Yet at King’s Cross Station at around 8am on Monday morning, just over 13 hours after the full-time whistle was blown on Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup Final win against Liverpool and the Magpies 70-year wait for major domestic silverware was brought to the most wonderful of ends, through blurred eyes and a fuzzy head, words are still hard to come by. Nothing makes sense anymore. We are living in a world we never dreamt would become reality.
So perhaps it is best to put it in the words of others, of different generations, all with their own tales to tell, all with their own history of heartbreak that meant even the beautiful shrill of the full-time whistle could not allow them to believe what they had witnessed.
‘It’s not always like this’
High up in the Wembley stands, those were the words uttered by a father to his young son, both with tears in their eyes as elation, relief and disbelief course throughout Newcastle United supporters.
Just minutes earlier, stood hand-in-hand, father and son were silent and that old familiar sense of dread was painted across their faces. Liverpool, second best for the vast majority of the game, had threatened a comeback and there were still five injury-time minutes to be seen out.
The Newcastle of old, and the Newcastle this father has no doubt witnessed on many an occasion, would fold and allow their trophy-laden hosts back into the game. Disaster and disappointment have become unwanted acquaintances for Magpies supporters for generation after generation.
Yet Dan Burn, a man born and raised in Blyth where they know a thing or two about Spartans, was fully prepared to battle his way through any enemy as he sonic boomed header after header away from the area.
In front of him, the once misfiring striker-turned all-action midfielder Joelinton appeared to take personal affront to any Liverpool player that had the nerve to even consider going near the ball. He was far from alone in that sense as Newcastle hassled and harried their opponents.
The heroes were many, the stories are plentiful, the determination and will to see it through were inspiring.
This wasn’t the emotionally drained Newcastle that rolled over in front of Manchester United two years, this was clinical, methodical and undeniable. The young son constantly asked why the game was still being played, why hasn’t the whistle gone, when is full-time? Perhaps it is the innocence and naivety of youth - but Newcastle United do not do conventional or straightforward.
The whistle followed seconds later, the clocks can be reset, Father picked up his son, tears streaming down his face. ‘It’s not always like this’ - but maybe, just maybe, this new Newcastle means there is an opportunity to ensure it can be like this just a little more often.
‘I don’t know how to feel, what do we do?’
Barring this utter nonsensical scribing, my own personal experience of the weekend was not as a journalist or writer, but as a supporter.
My rite of passage came with my Dad on 30th January 1988, when St James Park was a mass of grey concrete, crumbling terraces and players were sold off at will when the bigger clubs came calling. Just as my Great Grandad had done so with my Grandad and Grandad had done with my own Dad, this was my introduction to something cherished throughout my family, throughout the generations.
A 5-0 win in an FA Cup fourth round tie against Swindon Town felt like a somewhat misleading introduction into what would follow over the next three and a half decades.
For one of my friends, Helen, her own introduction to life following Newcastle was as far removed from this glorious Wembley day as is humanly possible - stood with her Dad on the Gallowgate terraces on a cold and wet November night where under 15,000 were in attendance, Newcastle laboured to a 3-2 win against Southend United.
Since then, for her, the highs were provided by Championship promotions and admittedly memorable European nights - but none of those achievements had truly silver linings that can define the narrative going forwards.
This was different, this was new, this was something not experienced at Wembley since 1955, which has since become the scene of nothing but agony and pain. This was bewilderingly beautiful and mysteriously magnificent. ‘I don’t know how to feel, what do we do?’
Helen was far from alone in offering such a statement as scenes of disbelief because when you’ve waited so long and wanted something for a lifetime, what do you do? How can you do something justice after so long?
‘Written in the stars’
My best man and truly loyal and trusted friend, Mark, a man that has been through it all with Newcastle and has now passed on the passion and privilege to his wonderful young sons struck a chord on a chilly London morning where the warm glow of victory overruled all else.
Just as many others have, his Dad passed on his love of Newcastle to another generation many years ago now. From the 50s onwards, when the Magpies were cup kings, to the present day, his support has spanned new eras, plummeting lows and now the highest of highs. In Mark’s own words, the fact Sunday’s cup final win coincided with what was his Dad and dearly missed Mam’s 56th wedding anniversary, meant it was surely ‘written in the stars’.
‘I’m beyond words’
Now this is something that resonates with me, as the somewhat laboured thinking behind this piece would suggest. Around 35,000 Newcastle supporters were fortunate to witness history in person, other watched on from afar but their spirit almost willed Eddie Howe’s side to this win.
Two friends for three decades, Chris and Stephanie, now living in Ireland and Manchester respectively, were regular messengers, relaying the scenes from their own homes and expressing their disbelief. 'A magic moment,” said one after Burn became United’s first Wembley Cup Final goalscorer since Alan Gowling in 1976.
‘Wow’ was the simple response from the other. Comfort was to be taken from the fact the bewilderment at Wembley was replicated elsewhere. Another friend Sam, a Gosforth lad now living in Esbjerg in Denmark, offered an insight too.
‘I’m beyond words’.
Sometimes the simplest message can convey more than the longest tales of the best writers.
‘What now?’
The long walk down the stairs from the top of the Wembley stands offered plenty of memorable images - but the sounds of Newcastle supporters trying to force this win to sink in provided a more incisive insight. Living in the moment is difficult at the best of times but now the club are free from the shackles of past failures, now they can be bold.
The sight of club captain Jamaal Lascelles, captain Bruno Guimaraes and the influential Kieran Trippier lifting the Carabao Cup and ending 70 years of hurt felt fitting. In some ways, they represent the past, present and future.
Lascelles has not played a minute this season as he continues his comeback from a long-term knee injury - yet his influence should not be underplayed. When a young buck in a failing Newcastle side, he asked tough questions of his more senior team-mates, he called for more, he demanded higher standards.
His part in Newcastle’s journey should never forgotten. Nor should Tripper’s, who swapped a push for La Liga title glory for Newcastle’s battle against a seemingly inevitable relegation. He was a catalyst, a first sign of ambition from Newcastle’s new owners, a sign to others this project was genuine.
Bruno Guimaraes soon followed.
His desire and passion is unquestionable but his emotion over leading Newcastle to a historic win may be surprising to some. He has taken Newcastle to his heart, as much as supporters have him firmly solidified in their own.
All three players were mentioned on those winding steps from Wembley heights but the question being asked more than any other was ‘what now?’. What now is the long journey home, for once, not with tears of heartache freshly wiped away, but with tears of joy still close to falling.
For us all, near, far or sadly missed, the waiting is over at long last.
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Related topics:Jamaal LascellesDan BurnWembleyLiverpool
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