The tears flowed and the joy was unconfined as Newcastle United finally exorcised the ghosts of 56 years of failure on a Wembley stage that has haunted them most.
When referee John Brooks sounded the final whistle to confirm their 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Liverpool, a giant black-and-white wave of celebration swept around the stadium that had delivered nine successive defeats since Newcastle won the 1955 FA Cup.
Finally, they had ended the long wait. It was 56 years since a major trophy landed on Tyneside in the shape of the long-defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the ensuing years an era when the club has become a punchline and punchbag for other fans to feast on.
Now – after a fully deserved victory engineered by a manager in Eddie Howe who has transformed the club in a time of riches under Saudi Arabian owners – the curse has been cast aside.
Wembley was barely big enough to contain the noise and emotion that fuelled a magnificent performance, some fans in tears even before the end, many covering their eyes unable to watch as the clock stretched towards 100 minutes and the glorious release of victory.
The black-and-white backdrop Newcastle’s followers provided delivered a wall of sound as their celebrations were played out to the north-east anthem “Blaydon Races”.
Dan Burn and Alexander Isak scored either side of half-time to give Newcastle the control they deserved, but when Federico Chiesa replied four minutes into added time to give Liverpool unlikely, undeserved hope, those painful memories of past years were revisited for a few moments.
The tension was unbearable at the Newcastle end, but Howe’s team managed those final seconds as skilfully as they had everything else, and Liverpool were unable to respond.
Howe and his players have secured their place in Tyneside history. The Carabao Cup may not be top of trophy priorities elsewhere, but this is a triumph that will mean everything for a giant of a club and fanbase.
