An infamous 70-year wait without domestic silverware was banished to the history books when Eddie Howe’s men etched their names into Tyneside folklore. Premier League leaders Liverpool were put to the sword in brutal fashion, with a 2-1 scoreline flattering Arne Slot’s title chasers on the day.
Newcastle’s FA Cup exit to Brighton earlier this month gave the players an 18-day break following the Carabao Cup triumph. For Eddie Howe, this was far from ideal, with the Toon boss keen to refocus his squad towards Champions League qualification.
But the hiatus allowed the Magpies – and city authorities – to prepare a monumental celebratory event. The Town Moor staged a Geordie party seven decades in the making which was complemented by a bus parade through the city.
An estimated 300,000 supporters lined the streets to greet Howe and his Wembley heroes on their way to the Town Moor. The festivities continued, with famous names like Ant and Dec, Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand serving as warm-up acts to the main event: the players.
Jibes on social media from a minority of rival supporters have been met with fierce resistance from Newcastle quarters. Those critics could never understand what following the Magpies – a club starved of success for so long despite boasting fervent support – feels like.
But if the Carabao Cup is “the most special” trophy Jurgen Klopp has won, it remains good enough for Newcastle. The German eulogised the competition last year after Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties.
“We call it the people’s cup but the whole journey was a squad journey and that’s what I loved most about it,” Klopp said. “It is easily the most special trophy I have ever won. It’s absolutely exceptional. I wish I could feel pride more often. Tonight was an overwhelming feeling – like ‘Oh my God, what’s going on here?’.”
Jose Mourinho, too, a legendary manager who won the League Cup four times at Chelsea and Manchester United, regards the competition highly. A penny for his thoughts when he watched Newcastle – the club his mentor Sir Bobby Robson cherished – break their trophy curse.
“I came to England in 2004 and I remember that in that period I had to learn the meaning of the cups here and I always took it seriously,” Mourinho said in 2021. “If there is any secret, it’s to take it seriously.
“(It is important) to respect what English football is, what English clubs are, what English lower divisions are and try to not be surprised in any of the games from smaller quality.”
