“Newcastle United’s Champions League Qualification: A Triumph for Fans and Leadership”

Alan Shearer could barely contain his emotions. Shearer, who has experienced almost all ups and downs as a footballer and is the Premier League record scorer with 260 goals, cheered in the VIP box at St. James’ Park, visibly touched. Of course, he didn’t miss the league game between Newcastle United, the club he loves for which he played between 1996 and 2006, and Leicester City. Newcastle coach Eddie Howe’s side had trembled in the closing minutes to a goalless draw over time, enough to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 21 years. Shearer was overjoyed that Newcastle United, the beacon of the north, are once again beaming out into the wider world.

After the game, Shearer posted on the portal The Athletic a letter to Coach Howe (“Dear Eddie… Thank you, for all of it”), thanking him 43 times. Mostly for making home feel like home again. Judging by the volume in the stadium, he must have spoken from the soul of many Newcastle supporters. The association is the artery of the city, it is more a purpose in life than a hobby for the people. The situation in Newcastle is the same for most of the “Geordies”, as the people there are called.

And now they finally recognize their club after years of relegation battle. They would have preferred not to leave their seats on Monday evening, despite the late hour. The players completed a lap of honor with their families and the coaching and support staff, the scope of which was reminiscent of a city parade. They celebrated and wrote autographs. When the protagonists lined up for a picture in the penalty area, the photographers had to go back almost to the center circle to get everyone in the picture. There are scenes like this elsewhere, but rarely on this scale.

In a year and a half, Newcastle have made an impressive rise. After the team had fought against relegation at the bottom of the table for a long time in the previous season, they suddenly took off in this round. Even before the final match day, United’s fourth place in the premier class cannot be taken away. “If someone had predicted this years ago, we would never have believed it,” said Newcastle-born Sean Longstaff, one of the fans’ identification figures. He was “extremely excited” to finally be in the Champions League himself – he only knew of Newcastle’s earlier performances from old DVDs. The Mass Journal The Sun headlined, in a play on words with the River Tyne flowing through the city: “Back in the big Tyne!” – Back in the big time!

As the only club alongside the 2016 sensational champions Leicester, Newcastle has now broken through the dominance of the so-called top 6 clubs in England that has lasted for two decades. Since United’s last qualification, the names of the English Champions League participants (apart from Leicester) have always been: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. The fact that the passionate club and four-time English champions Newcastle have recovered to their former glory after their interim decline is an enrichment for top-flight football as a whole. The circumstances are perhaps less so.

In contrast to other billionaire owners, the United club bosses are strikingly close to the people

For years former owner Mike Ashley seemed to be using the club as a free advertising space for his retail empire. Fans accused him of draining United financially. Twice Newcastle was relegated under his care. And it would probably have happened a third time in the pre-season – if Ashley had not sold the club to a consortium of investors in October 2021. Behind this is 80 percent of Saudi Arabia’s tens of billions of dollars of sovereign wealth funds. Critics see his investment as an attempt by the autocratic Saudi ruling family to distract from human rights violations in their own country. Enormous sums of money have apparently flowed into the club since the takeover. Newcastle recently spent around 300 million euros on transfers for new players, including 70 million for striker Alexander Isak and 42 million for midfield director Bruno Guimarães.

But almost unlimited funds – as the current crash of Chelsea FC, which is also extremely rich, proves – are no longer enough in the Premier League title race. Rather, a well-composed triad of capital, strategy and emotion is now required. In addition to the team’s development, which seems well considered, Newcastle’s leadership, led by the enterprising and charismatic string puller Amanda Staveley, has managed to win over the fans. In contrast to other billionaire owners, who at best appear sporadically in public, the United club bosses have so far been remarkably close to the people.

Newcastle’s surprisingly rapid success is now shifting – possibly permanently – the long-established hierarchies at the top flight of the league. In his letter to the coach, club legend Shearer mentioned at the end that Howe had once expressed “a fear of tomorrow” in a joint conversation. But now Howe should let the morning go “to hell” at least this time: “Look around what you triggered (euphoria) – and enjoy it.” Just like Alan Shearer.