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

Newcastle United's Brazilian midfielder #07 Joelinton celebrates with the League Cup trophy after winning the English League Cup final football match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium, north-west London on March 16, 2025. Newcastle United wins English League Cup 2 -1 against Liverpool. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
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."
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