"Of all the strides taken by Newcastle since the Saudi takeover in 2021, the Carabao Cup will always be the stop on the road sprinkled with the most magic. Champions League football is more than nice, the return of adventure to following this club appreciated as much as the swelling of the club coffers, in these days when every fan at every club feels like a de facto bean counter as well as a cheerleader."
"When Eddie Howe's team finally broke that desperate drought on 16 March last year, it was a lifetime highlight for all different generations. With St Patrick's Day to follow it felt like a celebratory bank holiday had been declared by the Geordie Nation, the throng in pubs and bars from Osborne Road to the Bigg Market teeming out on to the streets like champagne bubbles escaping from the neck of a bottle."
Newcastle ended a 56-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup on 16 March last year, generating euphoric celebrations across generations. The Saudi takeover in 2021 accelerated club progress, while Champions League qualification and increased revenue transformed expectations. The cup run provided symbolic cleansing after the barren Mike Ashley era, with moments such as Lewis Miley's stoppage-time header against Fulham and the Leazes End choreography depicting the Tyne Bridge underlining the competition's emotional importance. The club reached a third semi-final in four years and returned to Wembley for the first time since 1999, restoring a sense of adventure and collective pride.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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