The three lads pictured above (all stood in quite a strange manner, 12 years ago) are me and my younger twin brothers, Ben and Max, and if you couldn’t already tell by the full Newcastle United kits, we’re all huge football fans.
The phrase, “it’s just a game” is often thrown around a lot when discussing football, and at the end of the day, yeah, football is a game. However, to me, my brothers, and so many more of you fans, I think the game that we call football has shaped our lives massively, and maybe more than you think.
This is an account of some of my personal experiences following football throughout my life, and ultimately, the reasons why Leagues of Our Own exists, and the reasons why I love this sport so much.
Life as a Magpie
I think it would be rude not to start with Newcastle United, the biggest blessing (and the biggest curse) throughout my lifetime so far. Seasons upon seasons of win, loss, relegation, swearing at the television, and an unfortunate lack of trophies, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
The 22nd May, 2011. My first Newcastle United game. I remember climbing the steps into the Leazes stand with my dad, overwhelmed by the colossus that was St James’ Park, and 6-year-old me feeling electrified by the chanting fans. I can’t say I remember too much about the match itself, but since I was enlightened by the passion and support of the black and white army, it’s safe to say that I never looked back.
I want to share two specific memories I have with Newcastle United, one being probably the best day of my life, and the other one of the most disappointing.
Newcastle vs PSG
On the fourth of October, 2023, Champions League football returned to St James’ Park as we took on European juggernauts, Paris Saint-Germain.
The day of the game, I got up, went to university as usual, and went about my day thinking, we’ve got no chance winning against these. But still, I hopped on the bus into town, excited that I get to see Champions League football with my own eyes, and met up with my mate.
The Parisian fans were in full voice, marching and chanting through the streets of Newcastle, as we nervously entered the ground about an hour before kick-off.
Black and white flags were soaring, thousands chanted, and the players lined up to the famous Champions League tune. Newcastle United were about to play in the biggest competition in club football, and nothing could’ve prepared me for what was to come.
For 90 minutes, me and thousands of other Geordies were sent into dreamland as we tore PSG apart as if they were amateurs.
Goals from Miguel Almiron, and local lads Dan Burn and Sean Longstaff nearly knocked the roof off St James’ Park (and nearly sent me flying over the railing and falling down 4 rows). However, it was the fourth and final goal of the game for us that truly put the cherry on the icing on the cake, as Swiss defender Fabian Schar unleashed an absolute rocket into the top right-hand corner.
The same Newcastle United that I watched get relegated from the Premier League 7 years ago had just beaten one of the best teams in the world 4-1, and in that moment, I felt like life could not get any better. Unbelievable.
FULL TIME: NUFC 4-1 PSG
Newcastle vs Manchester United- EFL Cup Final
From going from wearing black and white in our living room as kids, to standing on Wembley way cheering on our beloved Newcastle United. On the 25th February 2023, we travelled down to Wembley to watch Newcastle play in a cup final for the first time in over two decades.
We took a long drive down to London and soaked in the atmosphere the day before the big game. Trafalgar square had been invaded by a sea of Geordies in black and white. The noise was electrifying. Newcastle United had arrived in the capital.
We woke up the day of the game, nerves building as we fed on the hotel breakfast buffet, and eventually made the walk up to the home of English football, Wembley Stadium. The ground was split in half, the black and white of Newcastle on one side, and the red of Manchester United on the other.
But as the game commenced, our hopes of bringing silverware back to Tyneside began to fade quickly, as United were 2-0 up at half time. Fast forward to the last few minutes, and heads began to drop and dreams were near enough shattered, as realisation set in, that Newcastle had lost the game.
I felt distraught as I stared down at the pitch in disappointment wondering, would I ever get the chance to see us on this stage again.
That’s until, in the final minute of the game, 2 goals down, thousands of Newcastle fans began chanting and waving flags as if we were the ones winning. The lads played out the rest of the game, Wembley bellowing with chants from one set of fans, but not the ones who were about to win a trophy.
“We are the Geordies.”
So, as we walked out the stadium that day in Wembley, it made me realise two things. The first; I hate Manchester United, but the second being that football brings us so much more than just two teams kicking a ball around. Being part of a set of fans, all so united in their love for a football club, almost brought a tear to my eye.
And even though the two most fond memories I have supporting Newcastle United bring about completely opposite emotions, they both made me come to the same conclusion, that football is much more than just a game to so many people.
Community
Ultimately, if it wasn’t for these experiences I’ve had as a fan, this post nor this page would exist, and the ups and downs of being a football fan have only made me want to talk about the sport more.
Here at Newcastle University, we have a fantastic community of so many intramural football teams, with each player having their own personal experiences with the sport throughout their lives. At the end of the day, no matter who you are or what team you play for, we all share the same passion for football when we step on that pitch, and that’s the thing that I love the most about the sport we play.
Please feel free to share any stories you have following or playing football, I would love to hear how it has impacted your lives, or some of your favourite moments! Drop a comment below or visit the Instagram @leaguesofourown_ncl
Stay tuned for upcoming posts all about intramural football.