These comments from Newcastle United fans on victory parade and Town Moor were laughable | OneFootball

Having had the chance to watch from afar here in France, all of the events of Saturday afternoon via the official NUFC YouTube channel, I felt compelled to address some of the stuff I noticed from Newcastle United fans on The Mag comments section.

I read a series of comments which were ridiculing the planned parade and festivities on the Town Moor.

The first claim was that the “new owners” had “bowed to pressure” to put on a parade at all.

Now, that may or may not be true, although I did read a comment somewhere that the club had said that they always wanted a parade. Who knows?

More bafflingly, he went on to say that, “…. 1974 was what a parade should be and will never be beaten.”

I remember the 1974 parade as something completely unexpected and quite magnificent – considering the team had lost the final. The stand-out memory is of Willie McFaul blabbing like a baby because he was so moved by the show of support for a beaten team.

That reception showed what a football daft city Newcastle Upon Tyne is and how the Newcastle United fans would support the players through thick and thin.

But does the latest parade – or any other in the future – have to be in competition with it? Why would we want to “beat” it?

I would though, say this one on Saturday was different.

First and foremost, it was a welcome and a show of appreciation for the Cup WINNERS – something that hadn’t happened for over half a century.

Secondly, correct me if I’m wrong if you were there, but I feel as though the demographic was different. The picture in my mind for 1974 was of largely young boys and men, rather than the overwhelming family atmosphere that I felt from Saturday’s parade.

The third big difference was that this March 2025 parade – described by our critic as, “a ten minute bus parade” – terminated, after a slow and stately 60 minute procession, at the Town Moor rather than St James’ Park. Instead of the privileged “usual suspects” filing in to the ground to take part in the more intimate private celebration, the event on the Town Moor was open to all who had expressed an interest.

A varied and lively afternoon of entertainment was laid on with live music, video presentations, interviews with past and present players and a spectacular drone display by Sela to finish off.

I’m sure that not everything was enjoyed equally by all who were there and even the organisers would probably find things that they would have done differently with hindsight (a gag for Bruno for the PC brigade?). I myself was bitterly disappointed that Alexander Isak didn’t say, “Aal reet, Wor Lass!”

What is certain, for me, is that the festivities showed our city in its best light to all and sundry. It showed a “United” city in every sense expressing its gratitude to the owners, the players and the staff of our club, for restoring pride in the team’s achievements and hope for the future.

But it did something else too, I think.

When it was announced that there wouldn’t be a parade, Mrs Lass was quite indignant. She thought it was a shame for the Newcastle United fans, of course, but she was adamant that the players deserved to enjoy the experience. They had earned the right to receive the adulation of the crowds but – just as importantly – it would show them what the win meant to the city and the wider region.

During the hour’s tour, Ant and Dec interviewed a wide selection of the players and you could see, especially on the faces of the younger ones like Tino, Harvey and Lewis Hall (even with Bruno whom gets “Geordiism” better than most) that they were blown away – overawed – by the turnout and the fervour of the crowd.

Any player that didn’t understand what that win meant to the city and fanbase in general, was left in no doubt after about two minutes of the journey. What must that have done to their commitment, their love of the club and team camaraderie? They were sharing a special “moment” (60 of them!) equal to or even beyond what they had experienced together at Wembley.

You couldn’t devise and pay for a better bonding exercise than that.

Eddie Howe, naturally, was left with the final word. And in true Eddie style he made it about others, introducing his coaching and conditioning team after the players had had their time in the spotlight. No effing and jeffing from Eddie, just straightforward praise and recognition for the team behind the team.

The last person he introduced was Darren Eales, a man battling a form of cancer of the blood but continuing in his work with the club. I must say that he looks remarkably well and it was great to see him at the Town Moor event and at the Women’s derby match last week, where he presented the cup alongside Bob Moncur. I don’t know exactly what his diagnosis is, or his treatment either, but I wish him all the very best in his fight.

Very much the same words that I would use for the club in general in the ongoing fight to tear apart the existing Premier League cartel and put Newcastle United back at the top table of European football.