Despite an incredibly poor performance and result against Everton on Sunday (May 25), Newcastle managed to clinch Champions League football by the skin of their teeth, with Aston Villa's loss to Manchester United seeing the Magpies through on goal difference.
Hearts were in Newcastle fans' mouths on Sunday, when Everton striker Carlos Alcaraz steered home a Vitaliy Mykolenko cross to beat Nick Pope with 25 minutes left on the clock.
As Newcastle fans began to realise that the league might be out of their hands, during and after the game, supporters' eyes began to glance increasingly at their phone screens, checking the results of other teams on the final day.
On the nervy end to the game, speaking in a press conference after the match against Everton, Eddie Howe said: You’re thinking, ‘This might not happen today, what’s happening elsewhere?’. That was where my brain went.On the nervy end to the game, speaking in a press conference after the match against Everton, Eddie Howe said: You’re thinking, ‘This might not happen today, what’s happening elsewhere?’. That was where my brain went. (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire) With Chelsea beating Nottingham Forrest 1-0 away from home, all attention turned to the Manchester United and Aston Villa game. With Newcastle and Aston Villa starting on Sunday with the same points, but the former having a cushier goal difference, a loss for the Toon would've meant that Aston Villa needed just one point to secure Champions League football.
On the day, it wasn't meant to be for Villa, who, as well as having their goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez sent off just before half time, had a 73rd-minute Morgan Rogers goal wrongly chalked off for a foul on Manchester United keeper Altay Bayindir.
Both decisions ultimately cost the side from Birmingham, as the Red Devils went on to win the game 2-0, sending Newcastle into the Champions League. This preceded huge celebrations from Newcastle fans in St James' Park and around the world, with a collective sigh of relief echoing through Newcastle, as far as Northumberland to the West and Durham to the South.
In the aftermath of Sunday's fixtures, on his podcast, 'The Rest is Football', Toon legend Alan Shearer said: "Newcastle got lucky on the final day, but nothing is lucky when you've had 38 games. You finish where you deserve to finish. It wasn't about yesterday; it was about the whole of the season."
I'm inclined to agree with Shearer's analysis. Although Newcastle can count themselves somewhat fortunate with how the league concluded, going into the final day of the season, the North East outfit had put themselves in the driving seat to qualify for the Champions League with some exceptional and hard-fought victories throughout the season.
Previous crucial wins over Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Chelsea, as well as impressive league doubles over Nottingham Forrest, Manchester United, and Tottenham, helped Newcastle over the line.
I think the turning point for Eddie Howe's side's league campaign came after match day 15 against Brentford. After a 4-2 away defeat to the West London side, Newcastle languished in 12th position, with five wins, five draws, and five losses from 15 games.
I believe the catalyst for Newcastle finishing in the Champions League came in the aftermath of the Brentford game, with the introduction of a certain Italian midfielder proving crucial in Newcastle's season. Before the Leicester game in match week 16, Sandro Tonali had only started six of the previous 15 Premier League games, mainly due to an easing period after his betting-related ban.
Sandro Tonali has had a stellar campaign in his first full season with the club.Sandro Tonali has had a stellar campaign in his first full season with the club. (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire) In the six games following the games with The Bees, Tonali played every minute as Newcastle won all six, racking up a collective goal difference of 18-1. Tonali then started all but one of the 23 games after the Brentford game, creating a lasting impression on Newcastle fans with his astute performances and more than making up for his time missed by his betting-related ban.
And how about the Carabao Cup Final? I've left it so late in the column, because what else can be said about that magical day?
From start to finish, Newcastle were phenomenal in their League Cup campaign, seeing off the likes of Brentford, Nottingham Forrest, Chelsea, and Arsenal before beating Premier League champions Liverpool in the final.
A fairy-tale story for Northumberland-born centre back Dan Burn, who scored the first goal with an imperious long-range header, in a 2-1 win against Liverpool in the final. The other man who scored for Newcastle that day was star man Alexander Isak, who scored 27 goals and assisted 6 in 42 games for the Magpies this season.
Lights depicting Dan Burn's header against Liverpool illuminated the sky at the Town Moor, Newcastle, during the trophy parade on March 29th.Lights depicting Dan Burn's header against Liverpool illuminated the sky at the Town Moor, Newcastle, during the trophy parade on March 29th. (Image: Ewan Wishart) So, a trophy and a Champions League position, it couldn't have gone much better than that for Newcastle, could it? For years to come, the 24/25 season will be one to remember and cherish for Newcastle fans; that's why it can't be ranked any less than a 10/10.
What does this all mean for next season, you ask? The pull of Champions League football, as well as the injection of cash that the competition brings, will have a monumental effect on how Newcastle do business this summer, in terms of both incomings and outgoings.
The cup and league success should keep leading players like Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon, and Bruno Guimaraes all happy, whilst allowing Newcastle to splash out on a further 3-4 key signings.
On Tuesday (May 27), it was announced that Newcastle's sporting director, Paul Mitchell, will leave his role, less than a year after being appointed. This untimely news seems strange at first glance, particularly as he has overseen a successful period in the club's history. But with talk at the start of the season about unrest between Mitchell and Howe, it doesn't come as too much of a surprise.
This makes me think Mitchell's tenure was always viewed as short-term, so I hope that Newcastle have been planning for this possibility and will be able to move swiftly to appoint a new sporting director and begin the all-important process of recruitment ahead of one of the most imperative transfer windows in the club's recent history.
Note to readers: For those who have managed to get this far, this is an announcement that this will be the last feature in the Toon Crier for the 24/25 season.
As the transfer window begins heating up and pre-season friendlies come back around, expect to see a monthly addition of the Toon Crier in the lead up to the new season, before the column returns to its usual weekly spot at the beginning of the 25/26 season.
For now, soak up some sunshine, drink an ice-cold Newcastle Brown Ale, and enjoy your summer. Up the Toon.