The 'scary' Newcastle United parade which blew away trophy-winning team
Newcastle United's Carabao Cup-winning squad will celebrate the club's success with fans on a bus parade and at the Town Moor.
The stage has been set.
Over the past few days, the normally quiet and peaceful Town Moor has been a hive of activity.
And that peace and tranquillity will well and truly be shattered tomorrow when up to 150,000 Newcastle United fans descend on the Moor to celebrate the club’s Carabao Cup win earlier this month.
Eddie Howe’s side beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley thanks to goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak.
It was a historic success, ending a 55-year-old wait for a major trophy.
The city has not seen an open-top bus parade following a major final for more than a quarter of a century. The teams which lost the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup finals had bus parades, labelled “embarrassing” by then-captain Alan Shearer, through the city, and you have to go back even further to the last celebration of a trophy win.
That came in May 1993 in the wake of the club’s remarkable First Division title win under Kevin Keegan, who had taken over the club the previous season when it had been facing relegation to the old Third Division for the first time in its long history.
Twenty-four hours after a stunning season-ending 7-1 win over Leicester City, Keegan’s players, some worse for wear, assembled at Gosforth Park for a parade to the Civic Centre.
Lee Clark was still recovering from the previous night, having been named the North East Football Writers’ Player of the Year in Durham hours after the Leicester game.
“We played the game early afternoon, and beat Leicester 7-1,” said Clark. “In that season, I’d cleared the board with all the awards, the North East Footballer of The Year, and the North East Football Writers’ Player of the Year.
“It was the sports writers’ dinner over in Durham. I had to go to that dinner, and the next day we’d had the parade. Obviously, there’d been a lot of celebrations going on, both for the team and myself personally.
“We met at the Gosforth Park hotel. When I got on the bus, it was quite lively to say the least.”
Civic reception
Huge crowds lined the Great North Road as the bus slowly made its way towards the Haymarket, and some fans even climbed up lamposts to get a better view of Keegan and the players.
Those supporters gathered at the Civic Centre had a long wait.
“We came down Gosforth High Street, and to see the numbers of people was amazing,” said Clark, who was at Wembley to see the Carabao Cup triumph.
“There were people hanging off lamposts to see a proper glimpse of us. The numbers that turned out on the streets was ridiculous.
“It took absolutely hours to get from the hotel all the way down to the Civic Centre, and once we were on the balcony there, there were thousands.
“We couldn’t get the microphone off Bez (John Beresford) once we got on to the balcony, because he started the singsongs and chants with the supporters, which they loved.
“I just remember the camaraderie. It was the first time I’d experienced that kind of thing, a parade and trophy and a celebration. It was just phenomenal. I couldn’t believe the numbers on both sides of the road. I just thought ‘wow – this is scary’. It was amazing.
“The thing about that era is that we had a great relationship with the supporters. There was a real togetherness on the bus and on the streets. It was a celebration for everybody.
“It was unbelievable. It just took your breath away. It was completely real. You didn’t know how to react, as it hadn’t happened in such a long time.
“It was just so good, a privilege. The camaraderie we had with the fans as well. We trained at Maiden Castle. The fans could turn up to watch us. We got to know a lot of the fans. It was just fantastic, really.
“From a personal point of view, it was a season I could only have dreamed off. A real special time.”
The following seasons would be just as special, as Newcastle went on to challenge for the Premier League title under Keegan.
Sela ‘surprise’
More than three decades later, fans are preparing to celebrate a very special triumph – the club’s first domestic cup win in 70 years.
There were fears that there would not be a bus parade when news of the planned event on the Moor was first reported. However, Eddie Howe and his squad will travel from St James’ Park to the Moor, where the final will be screened, in full, before their arrival.
Sela – who put on a couple of spectacular displays in during their first year as club shirt sponsor – have a “surprise” planned for the Moor.
“That’s why I’m delighted,” said Clark. “The initial plan was to have this event at the Town Moor, but thankfully they’re going to have this shorter parade as well from St James’ to the Moor.
“It’s still worthwhile. It gives everybody an opportunity (to see the team). There are thousands who can’t get to games because of the limited number of tickets, the finance that it costs.
“They still support the club and love the team. It’s great for them to get the opportunity to get on the streets and support them.
“It’s a major trophy this time. It’s a real celebration, the like of which we haven’t seen since 1969 and the Fairs Cup lads, and 70 years in domestic terms.
“This is for everyone to celebrate. I think this one’s for everybody, really. It’s for new and old fans.
“Obviously, for the new fans, it’s brilliant for them to see it so early in their lives. It looks like it could continue for a long time. But also the older fans who, we all know, have been desperate for a trophy.
“I’ve heard it myself, people and friends who are a bit older than me saying ‘am I ever going to see that elusive trophy in my lifetime?’.
“Thankfully, that’s been done. The overriding feeling of happiness is linked to that.”