Latest news with #WorFlags
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Newcastle United Shows It Is Ready For Champions League In Chelsea Win
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his ... More team's first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Chelsea FC at St James' Park on May 11, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by) You could tell St James' Park meant business much earlier than usual on Sunday. It was the time of the week when most people are usually taking things easily, relaxing before going back to work and enjoying down time. But Newcastle United had an in-form Chelsea team to beat and a Champions League place to earn; the call to arms was sounded and the city responded. It was loud, raucous, different but familiar. Lots had been made of the need for a strong atmosphere for the Blues' visit. Every possible advantage needed to be executed, and nothing gives Newcastle and edge like its own supporters. Before kick off, 'Wor Flags', the fan group responsible for wonderfully atmospheric and pertinent flag displays once again captured the mood and set the tone. 'Get into them' was the blunt but effective message. That is exactly what happened. Sandro Tonali scored after two minutes to give Newcastle the dream start it craved. When the ball hit the back of the net, the roar reflected the goal's importance; it was louder, more tempestuous, designed to let Chelsea know what hit it. Every tackle was greeted like a goal thereafter; Tyneside was the cauldron it needed to be. But the most defining factor of the victory was the way Eddie Howe and his team were so clearly ready for it. The team wasn't overawed, nor overly emotional; there was an intelligence to its play, dropping deep to conserve energy, allowing Chelsea possession in unthreatening areas. This is a club that is now big game ready, proving in no uncertain terms how much it has developed over the past two years. When Bruno Guimaraes scored in injury time, the stadium collectively exhaled with joy. There were difficult moments, many of which actually came after a moment which appeared at first to cement Newcastle's control. Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson was sent off in the first half for an elbow on defender Sven Botman, but the tactical shift which followed gave the away team a foothold in the match. Moises Caicedo, who had struggled at right-back early in the game, moved into a more comfortable midfield role and then Chelsea clicked. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Newcastle United fans build the atmosphere for the Premier ... More League match against Chelsea at St James' Park on May 11, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images) Memories of a similar match against Liverpool last season, when Virgil van Dijk was sent off at 1-0 and Darwin Nunez scored twice late on to swing the game, threatened to haunt Newcastle. But therein lies the growth in mentality; there was no panic, no desperation for another goal leaving the defence exposed, just a strong rear-guard and a clear understanding of what was required. A big team winning a big match by any means necessary. Howe said as much, crediting his players for holding their nerve and recognising how far they've come. 'It is so tight, it is a massive win," he said after the game. 'Chelsea had nothing to lose in the second half, we had everything to lose. As much as we wanted to attack and control the game, we played quite safe. That led to losing control; despite that we still managed to defend well enough to keep Chelsea out. 'We've become used to the big games. I don't think that was the case when we arrived; we slowly built our elite position. Two cup finals and the Champions League experience has definitely helped us. There is a much better reaction to the big occasions.' Once again, it was the midfield which proved decisive. Injuries to Kieran Trippier and Joe Willock forced Howe into a formation change, potentially leading to Tonali and Guimaraes being outnumbered. But they thrived, and Tonali was given special praise by his coach. 'Sandro's energy and legs have been an amazing part of our game,' Howe added. 'He's used them mainly for defensive work as he's changed his position. But he's still got this natural ability to follow the ball. It was a great moment for us.' The Champions League beckons. If Newcastle can beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium next week, it will clime to second in the Premier League standings. Just one more win is likely all it needs from two gamrs, but there will be no fearing yet another huge encounter. 'We have to drive forward and make sure we are ready for Arsenal," Howe said. "The players have been magnificent.' Not so long ago, Newcastle was accused of wilting under the pressure of the biggest matches, but the win over Chelsea is just the latest example of how the team now thrives off them.
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Why beating Man Utd meant so much to Newcastle fans
I cannot overstate to you quite how important it is to Newcastle United fans for us to beat Manchester is true that Manchester United fans might not consider Newcastle their rivals per se (well, how can they this season... rivals normally sit close together in the league table) but Newcastle fans have considered Manchester United the thorn in their side for a long goes back to the 1990s, when Kevin Keegan's "Entertainers" were routinely thwarted by Manchester United and unable to secure the top spot in the Premier was compounded in 1999 when we lost the FA Cup final to younger fans, it was the 2023 League Cup final loss. It was last year, when we finished the season so close to getting European football at St James' Park again - ahead of them on goal difference - only for Manchester United to win the FA Cup and take the coveted then, you can understand the deep, deep joy we all felt on Sunday as we, for the first time since 1931, did the double over Manchester United. It was fitting, too, that Wor Flags did a Kevin Keegan-themed display in three of the four stands before the game. How far we have come!And how far we still have to go. This week sees us making up a game (against Crystal Palace at home) and going away to Aston game will be easy, but we are in excellent form. Our eyes are on the prize of Champions League football, and the team look like they understand the eyes on Harvey Barnes, who has taken the opportunity to turn into an end-of-season goal machine, as we continue to right the wrongs of the past and end the season in more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
New York Times
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Tears of joy, giant Howe banner, kids on phone boxes: Newcastle's League Cup celebration
Eddie Howe's eyes are glistening. Usually the epitome of calm and restraint, he is clearly fighting tears. Stood on the deck of one of two open-top buses, which are snaking between thousands upon thousands of black-and-white-striped shirts — most lining the streets, many others hanging from lampposts, out of windows and off buildings — Howe has just glimpsed the enormous Wor Flags banner of himself, draped down a St James' Park-facing hotel. 'I did not know what to expect,' he tells Ant and Dec, the Geordie TV personalities. 'I hoped that some people would come, but this is something else.' Howe's words are genuine and are echoed by every member of the Newcastle United squad. Yet they are far from the only people inside the club who had been uncertain about the volume of supporters who would turn out to celebrate Newcastle's Carabao Cup triumph. Officials had deliberated what the scale should be, reaching out to those with long-held connections, who almost universally responded with a variation of the phrase, 'Like nothing you have ever witnessed before'. Advertisement 'It's only the League Cup,' some onlookers had scoffed, following Newcastle's frenzied celebrations in London a fortnight earlier. But they failed to comprehend the immensity of that victory. Bruno Guimaraes, the captain, summed it up perfectly when he described the clash with Liverpool as Newcastle's 'World Cup final'. During these celebrations, decision-makers were told, those 56 years of hurt without silverware, that 70-year yearning for a domestic trophy, would pour out in such extraordinary fashion that nobody could quite comprehend its magnitude in advance. Those reassurances convinced Newcastle that their decision to 'go massive', as a senior insider puts it, was prescient. During discussions with local authorities and stakeholders, Newcastle stressed they were essentially 'trying to put on Glastonbury-on-Tyne within two weeks' and were attempting to shrink a 12-month planning period for such a large-scale event into 12 days. 'We're trying to build the plane while we're in the air,' was the oft-repeated phrase internally. The conservative official estimate for those who amassed was in excess of 300,000, but the figure is likely to have been far greater. This was how Newcastle uniquely celebrated their historic cup victory with what has been described as 'the largest gathering the city has ever seen'. By 9am, it is apparent that festivities are not confined to the city centre. Across Tyneside, black-and-white flags are draped from windows, flown outside shops and on poles outside office blocks. Even red post boxes have been dressed in Newcastle colours. At a Greggs in Gosforth, a sign reads, 'NUFC 2025 — Baked into history'. Two miles from St James', at a school, Wor Flags has unfurled the 'Write your name in the history books' banner, alongside a huge surfer flag featuring the iconic 'Blue Star'. Today is why we love being a one club city. An entire region celebrating an achievement of its football team. Have a great day everyone 🏴🏳️🎉 — Wor Flags 🏴🏳 (@worflags) March 29, 2025 On the Town Moor, a 1,000-acre green space just outside Newcastle city centre, a large stage has been erected, flanked by multiple giant screens and enormous speakers. A 12-foot green metal barrier has been placed around the perimeter. This is where the buses will head and the celebrations will culminate. Entrance is permitted from 1.30pm, but players are not scheduled to appear on stage for almost five hours — yet thousands of supporters, many as family groups with small children, are already streaming in, desperate for prime placing. From 2pm, the entire cup final is replayed, with fans transfixed. 'I know the ending, so the nerves aren't shredded like two weeks ago, but I can still feel my heart beating rapidly,' Jeremy, who has front-row viewing, says. When Dan Burn heads in the opener at 2.45pm, a huge cheer erupts. Once Alexander Isak dispatches the second, the crowd has grown and the noise levels have risen. By the full-time whistle, just before 4pm, tens of thousands have congregated and the wooping is accompanied by hugging, before a child is hoisted into the air and crowd-surfs. Intermittent sets from local DJs are followed by north-east artists — including Sonny Tennet, who Newcastle flew out to Germany to play a private gig during pre-season — but Sam Fender, despite rumours and the eager hope of many, does not appear. A succession of songs aimed at building the atmosphere are played. Those which provoke the keenest crowd participation are 'He's from Blyth' (a bastardised version of Ultrabeat's 'Pretty Green Eyes' about Dan Burn), 'Hey Shearer' (an adaptation of DJ Otzi's 'Hey Baby' about Alan Shearer), and the most recent addition to the repertoire, 'Don't you know pump it up, Newcastle's won the cup' (a variation of Danzel's 'Pump It Up'). 'Alreet, wor kid' 🥶 — Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 30, 2025 Admittedly, it is slow burn. The suggestion had been that fans would be able to watch the whole parade, but only sections of it are beamed, and the audio from on-bus interviews is patchy. However, when Howe speaks to Ant and Dec, the whole field goes quiet, listening intently to his every word. There is a sense that the real attraction is elsewhere, but at least it is nearby and almost en route. Anticipation is quickly ramping up. Outside St James', the scene is pure Geordie Hogarth; Beer Street, Gin Lane and Mortal Avenue rolled into one. Swaying men clutch plastic bags containing bottles, small huddles of bouncing lads, some without tops, bop to their own rhythm, cans of beer shaken and spritzing amongst them and then tossed into the air without a thought about landings, happy or otherwise. The honk of vuvuzelas scars the ears. Advertisement Everywhere you look, there are black-and-white vignettes. A small boy perches on top of a telephone box clutching a checkered flag. Traffic lights and signposts and walls have been scaled, vertiginous vantage points for a club looking upwards. Nothing is too sacred; one man sits astride the bronzed head of Sir Bobby Robson's statue, another balances on Shearer's shoulders, holding on to his raised right arm as he conducts the choir beneath. In Philadelphia, police 'grease the poles' as a safety precaution when the Eagles, their American-football team, win big. In Newcastle, you needed to grease an entire city. In any case, the council has adorned lampposts with banners which read, 'Carabao Cup winners 24/25,' and, 'Don't you know, pump it up.' At Wembley, the team played like their fans sounded. There are thousands of people here, a recreation of the (largely) genial mayhem which greeted Newcastle's controversial takeover in October 2021 and a realisation of what it promised, a party decades in the yearning. Every viewing space is taken outside the raised sections of the Gallowgate End, on walls and staircases. Crowds crane their necks in the throng of Strawberry Place, kids clambering up parents' backs to see. CHAMPIONSSSS 🏆#wedontdoquiet — Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 30, 2025 An hour before the buses are due to appear, the place is packed. Footballs are punted into the air. The full repertoire of songs are sung, from 'Ei ei ei oh, up the Premier League we go', to 'Sunderland get battered', to 'Who's that team we call United', and flares are lit and held up, the tang of smoke catching in throats. Helicopters buzz. For some, the wait is too much; a drunken, staggering lad takes a thump to the face and goes down hard, sprawling. When the banner of Howe clenching his fists is lowered, a huge roar goes up and now people are straining and looking up Barrack Road for the coaches. Their approach is like a guttural rumble and then bang, at 4.30pm, they are present; more smoke, more cheers, Ant and Dec gurning, players twirling scarves and recording on their phones, snaking through a cordon of police and stewards. Advertisement You wait 70 years and it is over in a crash, blare, honk and a flash. As the buses press on, down Percy Street, beneath the crammed, coiled carpark, past the Haymarket and up the Great North Road, people turn and march or jog away from St James', a reversal of matchday, when a magnet pulls a city towards its stadium. Now, it is repelled outwards, to Newcastle's green lungs. This day needed the parade. Ideally, it would have been longer. Casual local supporters could have turned out, waving the buses through the diverse neighbourhoods which combine to give this city its distinct character. Logistically, that proved unfeasible in the short timescale between Wembley and celebration day. The belated announcement of the short bus journey led to criticism, with supporters initially frustrated by the lack of a parade. That was always an essential part of the festivities, but confirmation did not come until three days after the festival-style gathering was made public, as authorities worked to ensure public safety. Suspicion around alleged culpability grew, with claims and counter-claims emerging on social media, though none of the organising parties blamed one another. Communication could have been clearer, even if the celebration's success was impressive, given the extremely short lead-in time. The emergency services even invoked major-incident planning, proposing a top-level estimate of up to half-a-million people descending upon the route and Town Moor. Half-an-hour always felt like an ambitious bus-route schedule and it takes almost 60 minutes to complete the circuit, with the Newcastle contingent desperate to pay ample appreciation to the hordes. On stage, the final warm-up act is an ecstatic Shearer. Receiving the crowd, who chant his name in unison, he shifts the praise towards Howe and the players. Advertisement 'It's the best feeling I've ever had, on or off a football pitch,' Shearer says, of the final. 'I've been waiting for this day all of my life — to see our city being done so proud.' A man made of granite, even Shearer begins to tear up, as he is asked about his father, who died last year. 'I just wish he could have hung on for one more year just to sample this,' he adds, echoing the sentiments of countless supporters who have spent a fortnight remembering those no longer with us. Scenes 🖤🤍 — Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) March 29, 2025 Eventually, after almost five hours of waiting for the earliest arrivals on the Moor, Newcastle players and staff — and the League Cup — arrive on stage to a hero's welcome. The trio of Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier and Jamaal Lascelles repeat their collective Wembley trophy lift, to rapturous applause. Almost every player takes turns to hoist the cup aloft, before Howe walks over to rarely heralded members of staff — Tony Toward, the team administrator, and Ray Thompson, the kit manager, among them — and insists they have their own moment in the spotlight. Guimaraes, Howe, Burn and Isak are interviewed by Ant and Dec, declaring their amazement at the unprecedented scenes they have witnessed. Isak mimics a Geordie accent — saying 'Alreet wor kid' (all right, our kid) — and then makes the serious point that winning the cup, 'means the world to us, but it means even more to see how much it means to you'. It is Guimaraes who really revels in front of the crowd. Repeatedly starting songs, he ignores the warnings of no expletives, given it is all going out via live stream, leading a chorus of Sandro Tonali's song, which contains the line, 'He hates f***ing Sunderland'. 'Geordie boys, taking the p***', is the joyous response from the faithful. Howe is content to let his players — who, like the crowd, are under a strict alcohol ban — drink up the reverence. This is the celebration they have waited 13 days for (especially the internationals who were not on the trip to Dubai). Advertisement But then comes the serious message. Watching these Newcastle players jumping up and down, playfully orchestrating the fans in front of them, it is difficult to comprehend that they have a massive home match against Brentford in four days' time. 'We are hungry for more but we can't get ahead of ourselves,' Howe says as his sign-off message. 'We have 10 huge Premier League games and we have to go again. The one thing we have to do is match your passion on the pitch.' If Newcastle get anywhere close to doing so, then Champions League qualification is assured. Newcastle the team will be an unrivalled force of nature, just as Newcastle the city was on Saturday.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Newcastle's cup win celebrated by huge crowds
Hundreds of thousands of supporters flooded into Newcastle to celebrate the football club's historic cup win. Newcastle United won the Carabao Cup earlier this month, ending its 70-year wait for domestic silverware. The team travelled on two open-top buses through city centre's streets, which were packed with crowds, to a large celebration on the Town Moor, as crowds of supporters roared them on. Geordie duo Ant & Dec hosted the celebration, with manager Eddie Howe describing it as a "very emotional day" and club legend Alan Shearer saying: "We could get used to this." As it happened: Newcastle celebrates historic cup win Manager Eddie Howe was interviewed on top of the bus. He said: "This is really incredible, absolutely mind-blowing. "You've got people hanging from lampposts, out of buildings, I hope everyone's all right." Howe said he was "very emotional" when he saw a massive flag of himself created by supporters' group Wor Flags unfurled near the stadium. "I can't thank everyone enough, from Newcastle, the way they've embraced me and my family and I'm glad to have given them some joy," he said. The buses and crowds then turned into the Town Moor, a large open area just outside the city centre, where 150,000 fans had already gathered to welcome their heroes home. Alan Shearer was one of the club legends who took to the stage. "The last two weeks have just been... probably the best of my life," he said. "We could get used to this, couldn't we? "I wanted this to happen in my lifetime and it's happened so whatever happens from now on, I can go happy," Shearer added. Howe and the players then took turns raising the trophy to deafening cheers. Wembley goal hero Dan Burn said he felt "numb" as they were not used to winning trophies. He said he had to stay composed as the bus travelled through the city. Captain Bruno Guimaraes led fans in a rendition of Hey Jude, replacing "Jude" with "Geordies". Meanwhile, Alexander Isak gave fans his best Geordie accent: "Areet wor kid?" The celebrations ended with a display with lighted drones forming images and words summing up the cup win. Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Hundreds of thousands celebrate Newcastle cup win
Hundreds of thousands of supporters flooded into Newcastle to celebrate the football club's historic cup United won the Carabao Cup earlier this month, ending their 70-year wait for domestic team travelled on two open-top buses through city centre's streets, which were packed with crowds, to a large celebration on the Town Moor, as crowds of supporters roared them duo Ant & Dec hosted the celebration, with manager Eddie Howe describing it as a "very emotional day" and club legend Alan Shearer saying: "We could get used to this." As it happened: Newcastle celebrates historic cup win Manager Eddie Howe was interviewed on top of the said: "This is really incredible, absolutely mind-blowing."You've got people hanging from lampposts, out of buildings, I hope everyone's all right."Howe said he was "very emotional" when he saw a massive flag of himself created by supporters' group Wor Flags unfurled near the stadium."I can't thank everyone enough, from Newcastle, the way they've embraced me and my family and I'm glad to have given them some joy," he said. The buses and crowds then turned into the Town Moor, a large open area just outside the city centre, where 150,000 fans had already gathered to welcome their heroes Shearer was one of the club legends who took to the stage."The last two weeks have just been... probably the best of my life," he said."We could get used to this, couldn't we?"I wanted this to happen in my lifetime and it's happened so whatever happens from now on, I can go happy," Shearer added. Howe and the players then took turns raising the trophy to deafening goal hero Dan Burn said he felt "numb" as they were not used to winning trophies. He said he had to stay composed as the bus travelled through the Bruno Guimaraes led fans in a rendition of Hey Jude, replacing "Jude" with "Geordies".Meanwhile, Alexander Isak gave fans his best Geordie accent: "Areet wor kid?"The celebrations ended with a display with lighted drones forming images and words summing up the cup win. Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
