Alan Shearer has urged the team to win it for the fans and the city ahead of Sunday’s big final, admitting he’d “gladly finish mid-table” this season if it meant Newcastle United lifted a trophy tomorrow.
It’s been 24 years since we last made a final at Wembley – we lost to Man Utd in the FA Cup back in 1999 – and a 68-year wait for domestic silverware.
When asked if he’d prefer a top four finish or a trophy, Shearer’s answer was an emphatic one. For all the doors Champions League football would open, he spoke about the life-long wait for a trophy on Tyneside, with generations of Newcastle supporters yet to experience the magic of winning something at Wembley and the celebrations that would follow.
Just imagine the euphoria at Wembley, the scenes through the city to parade the trophy and the memories this would create. After years of hurt, zero hope and rarely taking cup competitions seriously, this is our moment against a Man Utd side who’ve crushed our dreams before.
Here’s a snippet from Shearer’s chat with BBC Radio Newcastle, followed by his quotes on preferring a trophy to a top four finish:
“Give me the trophy. I would gladly finish mid-table if it meant Newcastle won a trophy.
“It’s been far too long. I want and need Newcastle to win a trophy in my lifetime.
“I was here in 1998 and 1999 when we had to do a parade on the back of losing the FA Cup final. There was a quarter of a million people there. It was pretty embarrassing [for us].
“Imagine the reaction if Newcastle come back with a trophy and I want to see it – give me a trophy any day.
“I can only imagine what Newcastle would be like on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and the next 10 years if Newcastle win the Carabao Cup final.”
