Here are a few unsung heroes when it comes to that Newcastle United Wembley triumph | OneFootball

Rights, how many times have you watched it?

Since returning from London on Monday, I’ve watched the full footage from Wembley, the official highlights, literally every single thing put out by the official NUFC accounts and countless clips, gifs and TikToks depicting the magnificent events of Sunday afternoon.

The lads were brilliant weren’t they though?

It’s not exaggeration or hyperbole to say that every player in the team had a terrific game.

On balance, the four standouts who I’d give a 10/10, were Burn, Livramento, Tonali and Joelinton. Big Joe was consistently everywhere and probably on balance the star performer, but goals win games and Burn deserved the man of the match award, as his crucial intervention on the stroke of half time was the crowning glory of a strong all-round performance.

Anyway, you all know this surely, as I’m certain most people reading this will be on day five of mass consumption of Newcastle United material.

What I have been thinking about though, are the lesser appreciated heroes. Those that have made a small, or indirect, contribution to the finest hour of our football supporting life.

So here’s a few I thought worthy of a mention who contributed to Newcastle United winning the League Cup at Wembley:

Paris Saint-Germain

Let’s start with a more obvious one.

We felt nowt but spite towards this lot when Livramento’s ridiculous handball was given last season in a move that effectively saw them through the Champions League group in our place. Their stock on Tyneside has surely rocketed now though after their energy-sapping, morale destroying penalty win knocked Liverpool for six ahead of Sunday.

We were outstanding and the scousers couldn’t live with us, but the Parisian assist in those tired legs was one that undoubtedly helped.

Taiwo Awoniyi

A massive pressure release in our very first match of the run when the shootout with Forest was effectively decided by his blootering the worst penalty ever over the bar. Phew.

Tottenham

Wait, what? Tottenham?

What have they ever done for anyone, and more to the point, when are they ever involved in cup wins?

Well, it’s been well reported that to win the Carabao Cup we had to beat the entire top four in the Premier League (at the time of the final), which must be a first, and that’s before you include Brentford as well.

Spurs were basically the only side who gave us any kind of help in thinning out the field, eradicating the potential threats of both Manchester clubs. Their victory over Liverpool in the first leg of the semi was also the first rattler of 2025 for the scousers, and a contributor to a period of inconsistent form that continued to cup final day. Also, we now get to laugh at them for not winning a trophy in a while.

John Brooks

Who? Is hopefully the response for most people, as that’s exactly the point here.

Brooks was the referee on Sunday and produced the indicator of every great refereeing performance – no one noticed him.

I went into this with a fear that Liverpool got some ridiculous decision for an obvious dive from Jota or Diaz, but Brooks was having none of this nonsense, such as the suggestion a ball had brushed off Kieran Trippier’s finger.

Ciaran Clark

An underrated contributor in NUFC history, following up a strong performance in our Championship winning season with some key interventions in the Prem, including the run across goal that distracted the keeper for Jonjo Shelvey’s seismic winner at Elland Road.

However, what I’m referring to here is his daft red card vs. Norwich that was famously responsible for the transformation of Joelinton from ineffective striker to midfield colossus. Big Joe was magnificent in the final and it all goes back to Clark’s inadvertent Dr Frankenstein act.

Arne Slot/the Liverpool fans

Of course, when I finally staggered through my front door in Newcastle on return from the capital, I got stuck straight into the replays.

There are nuggets everywhere, but I was particularly struck by Slot’s exemplary conduct after the game. Making time to shake the hands of every member of the Newcastle team before they collected their medals, then conducting an interview that was the absolute antithesis of having to listen to that petulant whinger going on about the ball in the last round.

The interviewer seemed to be goading Slot into saying it was all about Liverpool going to pot, but he rose above this and gave Newcastle the credit for a dominant performance.

Across London and beyond, there was a similar degree of magnanimity from the Scouse fans, acknowledging that Newcastle were the better side without slinking low enough to belittle the competition we’d won (the internet is another matter).

I think it helped the general vibe to have positivity from the opposition, although it did raise a dilemma as to whether I’d prefer this, or the sickened faces of a team that I hate next time?

Either way, there may come a day when Newcastle are the serial trophy winners getting upended by an opponent for whom it means so much more. There may be a lesson in humility to remember from this weekend.

Miggy Almiron/Lloyd Kelly

You may have seen tales that shiny winners medals will be winging their way to Atlanta and Turin for our two January departures.

Anyone dismissing this needs to have a rewatch.

Not only was it his sweet through ball that released Isak to shoot in the first minute of this cup run, with that effort parried to Willock to score, it was also Miggy who was fouled for the crucial penalty vs Wimbledon, in what was arguably our toughest challenge on this whole route to Wembley.

Kelly’s contribution is less obvious, but he started two games, forcing the free kick before pressuring Axel Disasi into the own goal that sealed victory against Chelsea. For me though, his appearance off the bench to help see out the stressful, backs to the wall final half hour at the Emirates was the most valuable contribution.

John Ruddy had a medal on despite 0 minutes for Newcastle in any competition, so these lads more than deserve their recognition.

Alright, these didn’t contribute anything to the cup win, but as my personal main source of sustenance on any London weekend, I wanted to give them recognition to go with the huge amounts of money I’ve spent there in recent years.