Sunshine after the darkness of despair
Epic campaign ends with Magpie fans in dreamland
IT WAS the Final Day which mattered not a jot because Geordies had already reached the promised land which was never visualised during the bad days of relentless darkness.
Newcastle had punched above their weight all season, proved the mass doubters spectacularly wrong.
So how the Toon Army were determined to enjoy their last trip out while contemplating more illustrious European jaunts to the likes of Madrid, Barcelona, Milan and Paris.
A 1-1 draw at Chelsea meant United finished with their fewest defeats in a top-flight season – only five compared with their previous best of eight. That is the definition of consistency.
Those who have lived through constant despair lapped up a May day bathed in sunshine.
A vast swathe of the faithful, 1,500 of them, arrived at Stamford Bridge via the Thames on six hired boats and at the end bounced and roared their gratitude to all who carry Newcastle hopes.
What a difference between two managers and two clubs.
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard won only one of his 11 games in charge and two of his last 25 league and cup matches covering Chelsea and Everton.
Where does he go for his next job given that CV? The television gantry?
Meanwhile, Howe finished fourth in the Premier League with a Wembley cup final also on his record which officially puts him in the voting for Manager of the Season.
As for Chelsea’s super flops they are going nowhere while United are definitely somewhere.
The Magpies are the no-hopers who won the lottery. The raggy kids on the street corner who claimed the king’s clothes.
Those dismissed as dreamers who will now be welcomed within football’s mightiest citadels.
Chelsea play nowhere in particular next season, Newcastle will walk in the land of giants.
The King’s Road is no longer the trend-setter of modern day, Barrack Road is currently the golden mile.
While the two great football clubs of Manchester and Arsenal’s Gunners were expected to take their Champions League places Newcastle
were certainly not. They have been excluded for 20 years.
Chelsea have to try to regain the strut of Roman Abramovich while United walk with a new-found swagger.
If football was suspicious of Russian money the wider world is now totally obsessed with the influence of Saudi oil.
Regardless of a convenient excuse for the self-righteous to beat Geordies with a stick, we can now at the season’s end rest and enjoy what we have and what Chelsea definitely have not.
The whole world cared not a jot about our relentless misery so we are not about to get all misty-eyed because Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs are not feasting at Europe’s most laden table. This could herald a changing of the guard.
What we enjoyed in the capital was a couple of firsts. Anthony Gordon’s first goal for Newcastle and 17-year-old Lewis Miley’s first senior appearance. He gave us a glimpse of the future.
A young man with a terrific career ahead of him who five minutes after coming on struck the top of the crossbar.
Had that been the winner he would have written himself into history almost before he could work up a sweat.
It is goodbye to 2022-23. We have loved you and enjoyed every single minute. United we stand.