A Sign of Future Glory? Newcastle United Ends 70-Year-Long Domestic Trophy Drought
Seeing the count at lastwonatrophy.uk must have been depressing for the fans of Newcastle United. Sixty-nine years and 320 days stood on the clock when referee John Brooks blew the final whistle at Wembley Stadium, ending an agonizingly long Cup final additional time and an even more agonizingly long wait for Newcastle to finally lift a domestic trophy.
But lift they did. In style, too. Burn and Isak gave the Magpies the lead, and at no point did it look like Liverpool had an answer. Ultimately, the Carabao Cup finals ended 2:1 for Newcastle, and the Reds will have to take solace in winning the Premier League in May.
Will the cup glory lead the Magpies to future success, especially after the Saudi takeover in 2021? They are currently sitting at 6th in the Premier League with a game in hand, and the Champions League football at St James' Park next year is well within reach. Still, the likes of Stake and BC.GAME are giving them slightly less of a shot than Chelsea or Man City.
Newcastle vs Liverpool, As It Happened
The Magpies left little to chance with 17 shots to Liverpool's 6 in the 2025 Carabao Cup final. Dan Burn opened the scoreline with a magnificent header from the edge of the penalty box before Alexander Isak doubled the lead with a world-class split-second finish. Federico Chiesa's lovely shot in stoppage time came too late for Liverpool to get back into the game.
The final whistle sent fans into rapture, ushering in a new feeling for many of them. Newcastle's last domestic trophy win was in 1955, a lifetime ago, and only fans well into their 70s could faintly remember the bliss of winning silverware.
Newcastle Trophy Drought in Numbers
Newcastle trophies have been few and far between in the better part of a century. In 1995, when Newcastle won their last major domestic trophy by beating Man City 3:1 at the old Wembley stadium in the FA Cup final, the average house price in GB was a little over £2,000, and the Beatles were just another local brand.
Those 70 years (if we were not counting the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968-69) were one of the longest trophy droughts in English football. Given that the Toon army is known as one of the most passionate fans in English football, it is no wonder that rivaling fans used this fact as a stick to beat them with.
Taking clubs from the English top-flight, Southampton and Ipswich Town now lead the line with 50 and 47 years, respectively. West Ham and Wolves are tied at 45 years without adding to their trophy cabinet. Particularly soaring for the fans is that Sunderland, Newcastle’s main rival, won the 1873 FA Cup and never missed an opportunity to remind their St James' Park neighbors.
Here are a few more staggering numbers from the Sunday Newcastle victory:
- The Magpies lost 9 consecutive Wembley finals between 1955 and March 16,2025.
- Eddie Howe is the first English manager to win anything of note since 2008 and Harry Redknapp.
- Dan Burn is the third-oldest English player to score in the League Cup finals at 32 years and 311 days.
- Alexander Isak scored to win Newcastle the League on what was his 100th appearance for the club.
Newcastle United Takeover
Speaking more broadly, the Newcastle cup win might prove pivotal in the process that started four years ago and aims to turn the Tyneside club into a new Man City of sorts. Namely, it marks the first tangible fruit of the £305m Newcastle takeover by the Saudi-led consortium, which made Newcastle one of the richest clubs in world football.
However, the Saudis were not allowed to flex their financial muscle due to the profit and sustainability rules (PSR) enforced by the EPL, no doubt to curb the takeover trend that threatened to swamp the league. They also faced multiple accusations of ‘sports washing,' citing questionable human rights in Saudi Arabia.
Still, Newcastle has been one of the Premier League's biggest spenders in the last three years. Under Saudi ownership, the Magpies spent over £150 on Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali, and Anthony Gordon, with more players of that caliber expected at St James' Park.
What's Next for the Magpies?
For starters, fresh faces. The likes of Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson, Fabian Schär, and Dan Burn are all well in their 30s, with Wilson out of contract this summer. The goalkeeper situation is also on the agenda, with Martin Dubravka likely to leave this summer.
More crucially, Newcastle United must keep Alexander Isak no matter the cost. Slapping £150 million mustn't be just a deterrent used to warn off big cats. With three years left on his contract, Newcastle must hold on to the Swedish skipper not only for footballing reasons but also as a way of sending a message.
Champions League on the Horizon
The Newcastle Carabao cup glory can only puff wind in their sails for the remainder of the Premier League campaign. The Magpies are currently sitting sixth, level on points with Brighton and one less than Man City, but have a game in hand. The top 4 spot is two points away, and given that EPL will probably have 5 UCL representatives next year, it's looking good for Newcastle.
However, the bookies aren't as confident. Looking at Stake's odds, Newcastle is 3.00 to make the top 4, and 1.80 to get a top 5 spot. Their main rival is Chelsea, currently in fourth, with odds of 2.25 for top 4 and 1.50 for top 5.
Milos Antic
Sports Betting Expert
Milos is a sports betting professional whose special skill involves sitting through countless hours of football fixtures. He entered the sports betting arena in 2017 and hasn't looked back since. He is that guy who gets stopped and asked for a handy betting tip or two. As an in-house betting expert for CryptoGamba, Milos takes much pride when results go the way he called them while always finding a fitting excuse when they don't.
