Dwight Gayle believes the atmosphere has changed at Newcastle United.
The striker was a Newcastle United player when the takeover went through in October 2021, and was part of the Eddie Howe team that dramatically avoided relegation.
Howe turned things around on Tyneside, with Newcastle United going from relegation certainties to surviving comfortably.
The atmosphere in the second half of that season was incredible. St James’ Park was a special place to be.
Fast forward to 2025 and the Magpies have been in the Champions League and have ended their trophy drought. It has been a remarkable rise, but Dwight Gayle believes the second half of the 2021/22 season was when St James’ Park was at its best.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Dwight Gayle says St James’ Park is now ‘touristy’
Speaking on the Open Goal podcast, Gayle has reflected on what the atmosphere was like at St James’ Park during his final few months with the club before he left in the summer of 2022.
“The last six months of the season was probably the best I’ve ever seen it,” he said.
“I think better than even now, just because now they’ve got a bit touristy. Ballots for tickets and stuff.
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“And now they have a bit of expectation, whereas then the atmosphere was just crazy. Everyone was so buzzing.
“I remember playing against Arsenal towards the end of the season and the atmosphere was deafening. It was ridiculous.”
Newcastle United expected to leave St James’ Park
Gayle’s comments about the atmosphere at St James’ Park changing are very interesting.
The expectation levels have certainly gone up, and that has impacted the noise levels on Tyneside.
While games against PSG and Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final have produced mesmerising atmospheres, the same cannot be said for every game. Rightly or wrongly, that appears to come with the territory of playing at a higher level.
Gayle’s ‘touristy’ claim comes at a time that Newcastle United are looking to build a new stadium that will massively increase their revenue.
It looks as if the Magpies will be leaving St James’ Park, with PIF expected to approve Newcastle’s stadium plans.
If that proves to be the case, Newcastle United will face the challenge of replicating the St James’ Park atmosphere inside a new ground. That could be easier said than done.