Newcastle revel in 'strange smell' of success after League Cup glory

Newcastle produced a superb display to beat Premier League leaders Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday, securing the Magpies' first major prize since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

After celebrating with 32,000 jubilant Newcastle fans packed into one half of Wembley, Howe and his players kept the party going in the dressing room.

The euphoric celebrations included dousing Howe with champagne and beer as the magnitude of delivering Newcastle's first significant domestic prize since the 1955 FA Cup started to sink in.

For a composed, erudite figure like Howe to arrive at his post-match press conference still soaked and reeking of alcohol underlined just how much Newcastle were letting themselves go after one of the greatest days in the history of a proud but so often underachieving club.

"If you can smell a strange smell that's me. I was drenched in alcohol by Joelinton and some of the others!" Howe said. "There has to be a celebration. I will certainly be encouraging it. That's not usual for me.

"I urge everyone to enjoy it. We've had some people who have worked for this club for a long time and it's great to see them so happy. That is what is all about, you have so many difficult days in football and this club has had its share."

Aside from a brief period when Kevin Keegan's self-styled "entertainers" challenged for the title in the 1990s, Newcastle have suffered decades of self-inflicted wounds that rendered them a laughing stock.

All that changed in 2021 when a Saudi-backed consortium completed a takeover from unpopular owner Mike Ashley and quickly hired Howe as their manager. Thanks to Howe's leadership and the Saudi financial backing, Newcastle have been transformed from relegation candidates to silverware winners.

'It proves we can do it'

Amanda Staveley, who was the face of the ownership consortium until leaving last year, had boldly claimed Newcastle would one day win the Premier League. While that target remains unfulfilled, Staveley's belief that trophies would soon arrive has come to fruition, with Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, at Wembley to witness the triumph.

Now Howe, whose deft touch has been so influential in Newcastle's renaissance, wants his team to use the victory as a springboard for more success.

"I think it's really important, hopefully with one there can be more. It's not easy but it proves we can do it," said Howe, who led Newcastle in the Champions League last season and is chasing a return to the competition next term.

"You don't get many shots at this. It proves we can mix it with the very best and lift our game. Now we have to do it again. We've got some iconic players who will go down as legends in the future. They have to cement their legacy."

Howe became visibly emotional as he contemplated Newcastle's road to redemption and his own path to the greatest moment of his career. "Naturally you end up thinking of the players, the staff, but also the people who aren't with you, like for me, my mum, family members," he said.

"You go to them and just think of all the sacrifices, hard work that they gave you as a child to give you the opportunity to have a good life. You think you're getting help from above. I've just always had the thought I want to try to make my family proud."

For the hordes of black and white-clad fans who make Newcastle one of the Premier League's most passionately supported clubs, it was a cathartic moment. "The curse stuff for me never existed. It was in our hands," Howe said.

"It's a victory for the club and the city - for everyone who has given loyalty to the club and seen some really disappointing days for a number of decades. Since I've been at the football club their support has been incredible. I'm so pleased they have this trophy to end the long wait and hopefully we can get more in the future."