And more filed onto the Town Moor throughout the day as the club’s bus parade led the players to a party complete with a trophy lift, chanting, and a drone light show organised by club sponsors Sela.
With fans converging on the city from all corners of the country, preparations to find the best spot to catch a glimpse of the open-top bus parade began in the morning as people took their spots at St James’ Park and along Percy Street and Great North Road.
Lindsay, a 64-year-old resident of West Cornforth travelled in from Durham. She had been there at the parade in 1974 and despite Newcastle losing to Liverpool – more than 250,000 were said to have taken to the streets.
“Someone said to me: ‘God knows how many will be there if they do win’” she said.
“I think we’re about to find out!”
(Image: The Northern Echo) And there was not much difficulty in finding out – once people had made their way to St James’ Park.
The place was packed out with crowds gathering up the staircases of the stadium, around its perimeter, and all down Strawberry Place in anticipation of the bus setting off on its journey, some even taking up what head coach Eddie Howe described as ‘imaginative positions’.
“You see supporters in different positions and you think ‘how have you got there?’” Howe said following the parade.
“There was one guy on a sign where I was thinking ‘there’s no way up or no way down’ and he’s managed to rest there.”
Before the bus even set off, supporters were treated to abseilers descending down the face of the Sandman Hotel opposite the stadium and unfurling a giant poster of Howe in celebration. It was met with thunderous applause by the crowds waiting there, who erupted into chants of ‘Eddie Howe’s black and white army’.
“For me personally, the big flag on the building was amazing and just a big thank you to everyone involved for doing that.”
Howe even joked that he was happy with the likeness because “I’m not happy with many photos of mine and I think it was blurred enough.”
(Image: Danny Lawson) Back over on the Town Moor, fans had been queuing to enter long before the 12.30pm opening time. Some had even got there as early as 9.30am.
Their wait was rewarded with front row seats for the evening’s celebration which was hosted by Ant and Dec and featured a trophy lift and interviews with players and staff.
Geordie TV royalty Ant and Dec were able to fulfil a lifelong ambition of starting a chant off and the thousands in attendance at the Moor obliged in returning the favour of answering their cries of ‘Toon, Toon’ with ‘Black and white army’.
(Image: Danny Lawson) It was an emotional day too for many in the city who had waited so long to see the club win a trophy. Including club legend Alan Shearer who told fans he wished he could share the moment with his late dad, but knew he was ‘watching’.
“I said I was going to party harder than anyone and I think I did,” Shearer said on the Moor.
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“I don’t know where I am, what time it is, what day it is.
“The last two weeks have probably just been the best of my life. That Sunday at Wembley was what we all wanted and what we’ve all waited for for so long.”
“It was bloody amazing!”