If this had been said exactly six months ago today – As a Newcastle United fan how would you have taken it? | OneFootball

As a Newcastle United fan, how would you have taken this, if told/offered this exactly six months ago today?

I am writing this on Monday (17 February 2025).

Going back exactly six months ago, that was Saturday 17 August 2024.

As a Newcastle United fan, just like 50,000 or so others, I walked into St James’ Park for the first competitive game of the season.

United up against Southampton in the Premier League.

It was a strange game, Newcastle United opened brightly the first few minutes but then all a bit flat the next twenty or so. Then it all changing when that cheating so and so got Fabian Schar sent off.

A brilliant effort then followed, as the remaining ten men showed such character. Restricting Southampton to so few decent chances, whilst Alexander Isak expertly set Joelinton up and he produced an excellent finish. Newcastle quite comfortably seeing the win out and the fans wondering what would unfold the following nine months or so?

Well, we are now six months on, not quite nine months.

So, how has it been for you?

The question I would ask is, if as a Newcastle United fan you could go back to before kick-off against Southampton on Saturday 17 August 2025, if offered it, would you have taken what has happened these past six months?

Would you see the current position as success, mediocrity, failure?

Where Newcastle United are currently at (17 February 2025):

Played 33 Won 20 Drawn 5 Lost 8 Goals Scored 59 Goals Conceded 38

Those results these past six months have meant:

Newcastle United will play Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, Eddie Howe taking United to the final twice in three seasons, after 60+ years of the competition when Newcastle only reached one final.

Newcastle United will move into the last eight of the FA Cup if winning at home against Brighton, which would then be just one step from another Wembley trip for a semi-final visit.

Newcastle United will move to three points off third in the Premier League with 12 games to go, if winning on Sunday at St James’ Park against Nottingham Forest.

Conclusions

The further I went on with this article, these stats, the more I found myself shaking my head about some of what I hear from Newcastle United fans, who seem determined to be so over the top in their criticism of Eddie Howe and his players.

Howe has been a miracle worker and continues to be.

I find it incredible that some Newcastle United fans think that losing three of the last fifteen matches is a far bigger deal than winning twelve of the last fifteen!

How does that work???

So Eddie Howe should get pelters because he has given us so many victories but lost a few matches these past four months?

When you consider that Eddie Howe has still had plenty of injuries to deal with AND especially the fact that these last three transfer windows he hasn’t been able to sign a single first team contender, plus has had to sell (for £68m) two of his most promising young players now starring for Premier League rivals and then trade two further members of his small squad in January to generate another £31m. All of which to deal with PSR and then allow us to progress again this summer in the transfer market.

Well, that just sends Eddie Howe’s success onto a whole other level.