They stood in a huddle as they always do after matches, but this time they stayed there, arms locked around shoulders in an unbreakable circle. Becky Langley, the manager, spoke about togetherness, about the basic qualities that make up a team, about laying foundations and learning lessons, about this being a comma rather than a full stop. And she spoke of using “hurt and pain as fuel”.
Newcastle United had lost a cup final as Newcastle United tend to do, but the old, cold familiarity of an old, cold story — of not quite turning up, of “playing the occasion a little bit”, as Langley put it — was balanced by piercing perspective. Newcastle are good, Newcastle are competitive, neither of which you can yet take for granted and, in the case of their women’s team, they are full-time professionals, not just linked to the club but integral to it. To hurt like this means failing, but it also means trying and striving and believing.
Newcastle stayed to watch Hashtag United lift the FA Women’s National League Cup at Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road on Saturday afternoon and so did more than 3,000 Geordie supporters, singing songs of pride and love and of being top of the league. They stayed and clapped, because all you can do when it hurts is clap and cauterise, clap and remember, sear it into veins, because scar tissue is stronger than normal skin.
Inside the huddle, Langley had talked of sadness and gratitude. “I was saying winning is not the only measure of success,” she said. “I lost my nana earlier in the week and the support the players and staff have shown me has been phenomenal. Of course I’m upset. I’m down, obviously. I had my mam and others watching today and it’s fantastic they came down under such circumstances. I’ve had to be strong for the team but they’ve been strong for me.”
Beside the pitch afterwards, tears fell. Amber-Keegan Stobbs was born in 1992, the year Kevin Keegan returned to St James’ Park as manager, her name a tribute to the Pied Piper who led Newcastle on their glorious, doomed tilt at the title. Her history, Newcastle’s history, became her present. How did she feel? “Awful,” the captain said. “Devastated, heartbreak, but the journey we’re on as a club and a team is unbelievable. I’m so proud to be part of it.” She paused for a few seconds and wept.
Stobbs walks past the trophy won by Hashtag United (Harriet Lander – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
There was sympathy and love for their leader. “That one hurts for the whole team,” Stobbs said of Langley’s loss. “I can’t imagine how Becky and her family are feeling but she’s incredible. Honestly, this team would not be where we are today without her. She’s an inspiration. I can’t speak highly enough of her and her bravery and just how level-headed she is and… yeah, she’s the core of this team. I wish we’d got the win for her.”
This was a desperate disappointment to a fanbase that yearned and a playing squad that yearned with them, stung by a hesitant performance. On the coaches snaking down the A1 that morning, sleepy breath spoke of trophies, cups doodled on the condensation of misted windows, the promise of silverware for the first time under Newcastle’s new ownership, who were represented at Luton by Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi.
Two hours before kick-off in a backstreet social club taken over by Newcastle fans, that same breath bellowed belief, arms raised in devotion, cheeks painted black and white. Josh Downey, an American supporter, was amongst them. He had travelled from Philadelphia for his “first competitive Newcastle match of any kind”, staying in Luton for a few nights, driving to Tyneside and back on Sunday for a stadium tour at St James’ Park and then flying home.
“It doesn’t matter what league, what tier, what team, we support them all,” Downey said. “And a cup is a cup.”
It remains elusive, unknown. For the men, it is 69 years without a domestic trophy of any significance and although it is unfair to associate that weighty wait, that great obsession, with Newcastle Women who, after several years operating under the wing of the club’s charitable foundation only moved under its direct control in 2022, it is a team crammed with local players and fans. They understand that past and feel it.
Downey waves his flag having travelled from the U.S. (George Caulkin)
Like the men’s team, the Saudi-backed takeover has seen them flooded with investment and optimism, a manager handed a city’s trust alongside its keys. Under Langley, Newcastle are flying in the third-tier FA Women’s National League North and stand on the brink of a second consecutive promotion, one which would carry them to the Women’s Championship.
The last 12 months have seen new faces come in, but faces who know the club well, Stobbs dropping down a division to deliver promotion, and a trophy, to the club she has always supported. Others have followed, drawn to Tyneside not necessarily by where this team is now, but by the promise of what this project can be.
Defeats have been a rare exception this season — to Manchester United in the FA Cup and to second-place Nottingham Forest in the league — and perhaps this is the first which will linger past the frost of the next morning’s training. A 2-1 loss was not to their standard and it came at the biggest of moments. Their task now is to make it formative rather than freezing.
Newcastle and their 55-year trophy drought…
“We need to make sure this is not a hangover because then we would find disappointment next week as well,” Langley said. “We’ve got four games left in the league and we’ve got to use this to push on.” “These are the experiences you learn most lessons from,” said Stobbs. “We’ll regroup, we’ll bounce back. Yes, we’ve fallen at this one but we’ve got a job to do.”
It took an own goal to put Newcastle in front, Malika Apindia horribly slicing Lia Cataldo’s cross into her own net after 16 minutes. Newcastle had the better squad, the louder support, and now they had the lead — but they only made it last three minutes. Macey Nicholls’ cushioned volley came from nowhere and settled in the corner of the Newcastle net.
Tyneside’s most fervent supporters were at the front of Kenilworth Road’s main stand; the first half hour saw them endure a numbing wind, the first of spring’s sunshine, and a storm of hail. Newcastle fans have endured more — but when a rainbow appeared over the stadium, its end touching the Hashtag United goal, the symbolism of their team being unable to find its prize felt a little too apt.
Somewhere… (George Caulkin)
Chances came for Jasmine McQuade and Katie Barker, with Hashtag United indebted to two big saves from goalkeeper Frankie Angel. Having weathered both the hail and Newcastle’s attacks, Hashtag’s lead was not undeserved when it came — Sammy Rowland’s winding run drew an ill-timed rush from goalkeeper Grace Donnelly and an empty net for Phoebe Williams to slide home into.
Newcastle struggled to respond. Langley pushed Stobbs up from right-back, hoping her technical quality would reclaim midfield control, but the final 20 minutes were scrappy and jolting. Last week, they wrested their way back from 2-0 down to seize a 3-2 win at Wolves — but on this day the well was empty.
There were two late penalty shouts for challenges on Paige Bailey-Gayle, but when Hashtag sprinted onto the pitch in celebration, they had stymied their opponents into vapidity. Hashtag are a story of their own, relegated from the third tier five years ago under the name of C&K Basildon. They have rebuilt, savvily used social media to develop a fanbase and a brand, and won silverware against a club who now dwarf them in resources.
Newcastle were gracious, but desolate. Bailey-Gayle sat in the centre circle, hugging her knees in disbelief. Barker and Stobbs stared into a sky showing a thousand seasons. Georgia Gibson dropped to her knees and did not move. But then they rose, because of course they did. They slowly gathered together and their circle was formed.
(Top photo: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
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