On 22 May 1999 it was Newcastle United v Manchester United at (old) Wembley.
On 26 February 2023 it was Newcastle United v Manchester United at (new) Wembley.
These two things have no connection.
Yet so so many journalists and media insist on making this connection where there is none. Many Newcastle United fans as well.
I am not talking here about fans and their connections, all the time we are looking back at NUFC history and comparing and contrasting, linking the past with the present.
Rather, I am talking about our football club.
The owners, manager, coaching staff, players, indeed, all normal staff.
The 1999 Newcastle United and the 2023 Newcastle United are two completely different things.
Yet so many people are intent on trying to weigh down the present with the past.
As though there is even any remote connection between the defeat on Sunday and the one 24 years ago.
None of the owners are the same, none of the players are, the manager and his coaching staff are all different, whilst as for the general staff in more normal jobs, Mike Ashley stripped the entire club down to such a skeleton staff that I doubt whether more than one or two staff of any description remain from 1999.
Steve Harper one of the very very few who is still at St James’ Park 24 years on, albeit in a very different role.
I can understand our enemies in the media and rival fanbases wanting to create a more negative aspect around St James’ Park but I can’t comprehend why Newcastle United fans would add to that.
This thing of linking defeat on Sunday with stuff that happened decades ago is just nonsense.
Yes, it might be baggage for NUFC supporters to carry on, BUT not to be imposed on Eddie Howe and his players, nor indeed the current owners.
The idea that losing at Wembley in 1974 and 1976 plays any part now with Newcastle United is laughable.
The current Newcastle United set-up don’t have this monkey to get off their back, there is no curse on NUFC.
Indeed, it is untrue anyway that Newcastle United last won at Wembley back in 1955.
It was actually ‘only’ 35 years ago!
The Mercantile Football League Centenary Tournament saw Newcastle United beat Liverpool at Wembley in April 1988.
This joke of a…sorry, serious tournament, saw clubs from the various divisions invited to Wembley due to league positions.
Playing 20 minutes each way, Newcastle United ended their game 0-0 with Liverpool, then Neil McDonald scored the winning penalty in a shoot-out.
In the next round (all games played over one weekend), top tier Newcastle United managed to lose to fourth tier Tranmere BUT that is by the by, NUFC still won at Wembley!
That 1988 victory is as relevant to the present day, as the defeats in 1974 and 1999 are. As in, not at all.
Indeed, if people are still trying to link these Wembley defeats down the years and attempt to make them relevant to now, why not go back to the first decade of the 1900s, Newcastle United losing FA Cup finals in 1905, 1906 and 1908. Indeed, five times in seven years Newcastle got to the FA Cup final from 1905 to 1911 and won only one in 1910.
Trying to connect with these previous goings on is nonsense – This Newcastle United dates from 7 October 2021.
What is relevant is that in 16 months the new Newcastle United owners and manager / coaching staff and players, have already taken our club, us as supporters, to a cup final at Wembley, as well as battling for a Champions League spot.
The clock started on 7 October 2021 when at last Mike Ashley handed over the keys to St James’ Park.
This is what counts, this is our football club.
We are living in the present and looking forward to the future.
As Newcastle United fans we will always love our club’s history as an entirety BUT absolutely zero need to focus on past negatives that bear no relevance to where we are at today.
