A confident Newcastle fan who got a 'cup winners' tattoo three days before his side's Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United has said he has no regrets.
Dad Kris Cook, 31, had "Tell me ma me ma, NUFC Cup winners 26/02/23" etched onto his left leg last Thursday, ahead of the showpiece game at Wembley on Sunday, Newcastle's first major final for 24 years.
Victory would have seen the Magpies claim their first major trophy since 1955, however they lost 2-0 against Erik Ten Hag's United at Wembley.
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Toon fan Kris, who is dad to eight-year-old Honey, says his family and friends were stunned when he asked his tattooist from Sunderland to ink the message, a reference to one of the club's chants during their run to the final, before the game.
But despite their eventual defeat, he has told Chronicle Live that he doesn't regret it and won't be getting it covered up.
"I got it done on Thursday last week," he said. "I was booked in for a tattoo anyway and I said to my mates 'I might get it done'. When I did get it done they were like 'Jesus Christ, what have you done?'
"It was just for a laugh. Sometimes I forget I've had it done, it doesn't bother me. I don't regret it. I'm not getting it covered up or anything like that.
"When people see it they just think it's funny. I will just keep getting the dates added underneath the next time we reach a final. I will probably do it before again!"
He said the stunt had divided his family. "My sister thinks it's hilarious, my mam was a bit livid," he said. "My grandma is anti-tattoo. I was going to try and hide it but I can't really hide it. She's probably taken it the worst!
"The same girl does all of my tattoos. She's from Sunderland so she probably enjoyed it that little bit more." The dad-of-one, from Cramlington in Northumberland, who works as a salesperson for tea and coffee Ringtons, travelled down to London for the weekend with friends.
He said they celebrated and watched the match in a pub in the capital. "I have supported Newcastle all of my life" he said. "When it was down to 20 minutes before kick-off I was like we're going to do it, it's in the bag! I thought they were going to win but it wasn't meant to be.
"I wouldn't say I'm gutted about the loss because it's just the start. I'm feeling positive and proud of the team. I hope that in the future we can win something."
Prior to the cup final, thousands of Newcastle supporters travelled down to London. There were chants 'Tell me ma, me ma. I won't be home for tea, we're going to Wembley' as fans celebrated in Trafalgar Square on Saturday evening.
First half-goals goals from Casemiero and then Marcus Rashford sealed the win for United, their first major trophy in six years and the first of Erik Ten Hag's reign.
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