Fabian Schar wants to win the Carabao Cup for 'everyone' who has been on Newcastle United's journey as the Magpies bid to end their 54-year trophy drought at Wembley.
Among those who have moved on, even just in the last few weeks, are Jonjo Shelvey and Chris Wood, whose contributions have not been forgotten following their moves to Nottingham Forest. Even in this cup run, alone, Wood scored what proved to be the winning goal when Newcastle came from behind to defeat Tranmere Rovers back in August while Shelvey started the penalty shootout win against Crystal Palace in the third round.
Shelvey and Wood were back at St James' for the semi-final second-leg victory against Southampton last month and the pair got the chance to catch up with players and staff after the game in what was an 'emotional' moment for Schar. It is just another reason why the defender is desperate to defeat Manchester United in Sunday's final.
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"This is for the whole city and for everyone who is at the club or who has been part of it," Schar told ChronicleLive when asked about winning it for those who have moved on, too. "We go there and first enjoy the opportunity and try to win it."
Shelvey will be among those watching on at Wembley and the 32,761 Newcastle supporters in attendance certainly won't need reminding that man had not even walked on the moon when the Magpies last lifted a trophy, the Fairs Cup, in 1969. However, Newcastle are now just one win away from ending that drought.
The players talked about doing 'something special' back in pre-season and Dan Burn has repeatedly reminded his team-mates that they would be 'gods' if they could end the club's long wait for silverware. Newcastle are tantalisingly close to doing just that after the black-and-whites attacked the competition for the first time in years under Howe.
"There has just been a different mindset in the whole club since Eddie came in," Schar said. "Things have changed. There is much more confidence in the team with so much quality.
"We knew from the start that the cup was a big opportunity to go to Wembley and win something. Obviously, now, we go there. It's just great for the club and city."
There was once a time when Newcastle may have feared Manchester United, but not anymore - even if the Magpies have stuttered of late. Rather than paying Manchester United too much respect, and focusing too much on the Red Devils’ strengths, Howe and his staff will be prioritising how Newcastle can impose their own game on Erik ten Hag's side under the arch.
Manchester United may have come out on top when these teams last met in a final, back in 1999, but this is yet another opportunity for this group to create their own history - just as Howe challenged them to do before they even embarked on their cup run back in August. With the help of footage from days gone by, and references to a number of former players, Howe drew a connection with the club's past to ‘create a new future here’.
The aim of the presentation was not only to inspire the group but to also help the players further understand what the shirt stood for. Callum Wilson, for instance, learned that Kevin Keegan dropped down to the old Second Division to play for the club just a few weeks after the two-time Ballon d'Or winner represented England at the World Cup.
The squad were also reminded that it had been 68 long years since Newcastle last won a domestic trophy and that stat has even been used by Howe and his staff as a motivational tool on the screens at the training ground. However, rather than being weighed down by that drought, and the club's history, the squad have embraced the chance to become heroes and finally end that wait for silverware once and for all.
"When you see when we last won something or got to a final, it's been a long time and this club just dreams of going to Wembley," Schar added. "To do it this year is special and we're going to fully enjoy it."
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