· 27 May 2025, 19:30
**Newcastle United faltered at the end, but there was no taking the shine off what was the club's most successful season in decades.**
The Magpies lifted a trophy for the first time in 56 years this season, and Eddie Howe masterminded an outstanding recovery that saw Newcastle go from 12th place in December to briefly sitting in third place before ultimately finishing fifth in a season in which that position would grant the occupier a spot in the Champions League.
If in December someone had offered us just one of those accomplishments, we'd have snatched their hand off.
It had been a really strange start to the season with Newcastle picking up points despite not playing well and then dropping points when they played good football. Eventually, though, things started to click, and a run of nine straight wins saw the Toon Army march back to the top end of the table and overcome their biggest adversaries in Liverpool at Wembley.
Eddie Howe receives a good report card to take home
Ian Darke handed out grades for each Premier League club
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Football commentator for [ESPN](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/45331593/premier-league-ian-darke-grades-man-united-man-city-liverpool-chelsea-arsenal), Ian Darke, has given every Premier League club a grade like a teacher based on their season, and obviously Liverpool were handed an A grade after lifting the Premier League trophy in Arne Slot's first season in the English game, but Newcastle weren't far behind with an A- grade.
> NEWCASTLE UNITEDFifth place (and Carabao Cup winners), 66 pointsBoth targets hit for the Toon. Firstly, they delivered a first domestic trophy after 70 years as they beat Liverpool deservedly to lift the Carabao Cup, sparking wild and emotional scenes among their fans. But fortune favored them on the final day as they squeezed into a Champions League berth on goal difference despite losing at home to Everton. Having top European football to offer will help them keep 23-goal top scorer Alexander Isak.
>
> GRADE: A-
Newcastle have room for improvement next season
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Darke has probably got it spot on there. There were definitely moments where we seemed to be way off of an A grade, but lifting the Carabao Cup and getting back to the Champions League were probably worth an entire letter grade.
There's certainly room for improvement, and hopefully, a successful summer transfer period will help with that, although now with Paul Mitchell departing, there's a huge question mark over our summer again.
In case you're wondering, our Champions League saviours, Manchester United, received a D-, which is about right, but we'll bump it up to a D for them after their final day heroics.