Did that really happen? | OneFootball

Newcastle United and the did that really happen moments of 2024/25.

In the pub at the weekend and as usual, our football club dominates 90% or so of the debate.

The past, present and future of Newcastle United endlessly discussed.

So much happened last season, it is easy to forget certain things.

However, when we talking Newcastle United and the drink flowed, we were reliving some seriously good times from last season.

When I look back, some quite extraordinary things that occurred.

The ‘did that really happen’ Newcastle United moments of 2024/25

2 April 2025

After the famous day at Wembley in March, a crucial Premier League match.

This was seen as pivotal I think, would winning a cup lead to a severe drop-off in Premier League form, or inspire to Champions League qualification?

The Brentford game looked like it would tell us little either way. Newcastle played well enough but the Bees are tricky opponents. Isak scoring just before the break but a Bryan Mbeumo penalty on 66 minutes meant a draw looked on the cards.

With 16 minutes to go, Sandro Tonali received the ball towards the corner where Leazes meets East Stand. A second later it was in the back of the net.

I still don’t know how he did, it defied all logic. I definitely think Tonali meant it, as in there was nothing else on and so he thought I’ll smash this as hard as I can towards the goal and six yard box and lets see what happens.

Incredible.

You know when you hear old timers going on about out of this world goals they saw scored at St James’ Park before cameras became a thing at every match, this would be for sure in that category.

16 April 2025

Only 14 days after that Sandro Tonali goal, we got a near copycat.

Jacob Murphy up at the Gallowgate/Milburn Stand corner and whilst the angle wasn’t quite as acute as Tonali’s, this was almost as outrageous. Plus, for sure this one was absolutely meant.

Murphy must 1oo per cent have been inspired by the Italian’s goal against Brentford and thought, I’ll have some of that.

16 March 2025

I was at the opposite end of Wembley, the same as pretty much every Geordie that day.

However, looking down the ground, I was perfectly behind Dan Burn as he attacked the ball and headed it from miles out. I remember thinking this is going in, this is going in, then thinking no it can’t be, he is so far out, the keeper is bound to any second save it.

Then it hit the back of the net with the Liverpool keeper unable to get anywhere near it.

Apologies to Jackie Milburn but on 16 March 2025, surely the greatest ever header scored at Wembley.

25 May 2025

After Wembley, this is the next biggest Newcastle United moment of the 2024/25 season. It actually happened some 150 miles away and no Newcastle players were involved, no Newcastle fans there watching.

Manchester United had been a disgrace pretty much all season in the Premier League, certainly as time went on they became even more shocking, clearly so many players not trying.

The previous six months, Man U had only won two Premier League matches at Old Trafford since 1 December 2024, both against relegated sides – Southampton and Ipswich.

As they headed towards their fluke of a Europa League Final they really downed tools, in the final two months of the Premier League season Man U lost six, drew two and won none of their eight PL matches.

They then lost a dismal low quality Europa League final to an equally useless Spurs, then had to return to Old Trafford for this final game totally demoralised and heads anywhere but on this match. They hadn’t been trying month after month in the league so why start now in this meaningless match?

Man  U dominated Villa all match, hit the woodwork three times, should have been three or four up by the break, ended up winning 2-0 and it could have been more like double figures.

Of all the scenarios thought possible on that final day of the Premier League season in deciding the Champions League places, nobody was thinking Villa losing at Man U.

I still don’t know how Villa so bad and Man U trying so hard on 25 May 2025.

Absolutely astonishing and hilarious to think that as it turned out, Villa had only needed a point to deprive Newcastle United of Champions League this last day of the season.