My three best Newcastle United moments of 2024 | OneFootball

An ideal time in the heart of the festive season to get a snapshot of views from Newcastle United fans on how they think things are going.

So we sent out various questions to a small number of regular/irregular contributors to The Mag.

Asking these Newcastle United fans some of the important questions of the day.

As well as some with a seasonal twist.

Here we have Matt Busby said… giving his answers:

Obviously it takes a ‘little’ bit of imagination but if there was a scenario where on the last day of a Premier League season… a Sunderland victory (against whoever) would mean Newcastle United qualified for the Champions League instead of Europa League BUT also meant the Mackems won the Premier League. What would you want to happen?

Europa League. No debate!

In your lifetime, the five people associated with Newcastle United (anybody, on or of the pitch, inside or outside the club) who you would like to say thank you to and why?

There’s only one really and that’s King Kev – for making supporting Newcastle United so interesting and enjoyable, first in the early 80s and then in the early to mid 90s.

What would be a perfect Newcastle United Christmas present to unwrap?

Santa Claus warranting that the League Cup will be paraded around the streets of Tyneside in a couple of months time.

In 2024, what have been your three best Newcastle United moments?

1. The 1-0 over Southampton on the opening day – mainly for personal reasons, my son having returned from working abroad for the previous four months. We had a cracking day and whilst NUFC’s performance wasn’t great, we held out for all three points.

2. The derby win – it came on the back of a really tricky spell and a run of very poor results. And no matter how insignificant some of us might consider them to be, beating the Mackems was a great start to the new year.

3. Tonali’s comeback – what a tonic and he keeps improving.

In 2024 what have been your three worst Newcastle United moments?

1. Man Utd winning the FA Cup and depriving us of a European berth

2. The last week in June when the PSR debacle led to us losing Elliot Anderson and Yakubu Minteh

3. The 2-1 reverse at Stamford Bridge. What an abject performance. I haven’t been as angry since before the takeover.

Once we get Christmas out of the way, the Newcastle United hierarchy have promised an update early in the New Year, regarding what their plans are for delivering a significantly bigger/better stadium. What do you hope they say? (Not just whether staying at SJP or new site but also capacity, timescale, progress they might have made on the quiet regarding their plans, whatever)

In a fantasy world, they will announce construction of a state of the art 80,000 seater stadium adjacent to our current home, with building work commencing in February having secured planning consent on the quiet, with completion in tine for the start of the 2026/27 season.

The 2025/26 season will be the tenth since Newcastle United last had a Premier League derby match. Have you any seasonal black and white goodwill for our Mackem friends finally making it back to the top tier, from what looks the most appalling quality second tier for many years. Or even just because the amusing FA Cup stroll on Wearside last season whetted your appetite for the return of the derbies?

See above. Beating that lot was one of my top three best moments of 2024.

I’d like it if they (and the Boro for that matter) were back in the big time, although I wish them no success other than staying in the Premier League every season thereafter, and to be thrashed by Newcastle United, home and away.

If you could guarantee five NUFC players to be fit for the rest of the season (including all those currently unavailable), who would you choose and in what order?

1. Tonali – yes he’s that important 2. Isak – goalscorer extraordinaire 3. Wilson – to give Isak a break, plus because when he’s at it, there aren’t many better 4. Botman – how we’ve missed Sven, but I want the old version back, not the one who returned prematurely from injury last season 5. Guimaraes – the old version, not the one we’ve seen for most of this season

A knock on your door on Christmas Day, your place beautifully Xmas decorated, roaring fire, table laden with more food and drink than anybody could eat and drink. You open the door and freezing cold, snow bleaching down, which three cold and starving Newcastle United connected characters (past or present) would you still turn away?

1. CAshley – do I need to explain? 2. Allardyce – do I need to explain? 3. Owen – do I need to explain?

Assuming you don’t think that position has been reached already… what would it take for you to think Newcastle United needed to consider replacing Eddie Howe?

Getting to the League Cup Final, losing it and then beating whoever wins it a few weeks later in the Premier League

If you were granted three New Year’s wishes (apart from the obvious of winning something!) to come true in 2025…

1. For the PSR shackles to come off 2. For away tickets to become readily available 3. For a new stadium to be announced but only if on the existing site or a stone’s throw away

Your New Year’s resolution that is Newcastle United related…?

To stop being so grumpy when we lose

Win the FA Cup or League Cup sometime in the next five years AND finish between 8th and 10th in each of these five seasons, or win nothing AND finish between 2nd and 4th in every one of these five seasons?

Win that trophy. We’ve been in the UCL and in a perverse sort of way, it set us back. If we could land a trophy, the place would go mental.

What are your worst ever past Newcastle United Christmas time moments / memories. Could be any kind of memories – matches, presents, whatever?

Where do you start?

The festive calendar has been hugely disappointing for a long, long time.

The 4-3 loss at Old Trafford on Boxing Day 2012 stands out as a particular sickener, 3-2 up for a spell and then losing in the 90th minute at a place where we have an abysmal record.