A packed St. James' Park celebrating a Newcastle No 9 scoring at the Leazes End to keep their faint title hopes alive? It might be a few years before that is the case for the men's side.
Becky Langley's Newcastle Women's team put on a show for the onlookers at St. James' Park on Sunday, beating Alnwick Town Ladies 4-0 in front of a packed crowd. Ultimately they fell agonisingly short in their search for the Women's Premier League Northern Division 1 title, with Liverpool Feds wrapping up the trophy with a 6-1 win of their own earlier in the day. Still, it was a day for celebration on Tyneside.
The official attendance at St. James' Park today was 22,134. For context, only 20,738 turned up to watch Watford vs Burnley at Vicarage Road on Saturday. The East and Gallowgate stands were full, most of the Leazes section was populated and kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes due to crowd congestion outside the turnstiles.
READ MORE: Newcastle United supporters show 'incredible' support to Women's team at St James' Park
Credit must go to the new owners. This game simply would not have taken place at St. James' Park under the previous regime. Even if it had, it would not have drawn in the type of crowd on display today. The positive atmosphere around the club since the takeover made the incredible turnout possible.
Amanda Staveley was in attendance, alongside her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi and manager Eddie Howe, who kept good on his word to attend the game earlier this week. From the first moments the new ownership walked through the door, they vowed to improve and support the women's side. After the show of support today, it is without doubt that they will stage another women's game at the home of the men's side.
“I’m passionate to get the women's football really moved back into the heart of the club," Staveley said in one of her early interviews. It is one of many promises made and kept already. Newcastle Women's manager Langley has spoken highly of the new ownership and the support they have offered in the short time since they took the reins.
"We really appreciate the emotional support, and of course, the investment, in the women's team by the new owners and while it was something we were always aspiring towards, we probably didn't expect this type of opportunity to arise just yet," she said in her pre-game programme notes.
Newcastle Women trained at the first-team training ground this week in preparation for today's game. Langley in particular was surprised when the groundsmen asked if they wanted the pitch watered before they played on it. Small details that have seldom been addressed in the past 14 years.
The new owners also took the time to speak to the players in recent weeks, offering words of good luck ahead of the historic St. James' Park clash. Newcastle skipper Brooke Cochrane admitted to The Athletic: “They were just being human with us, if that’s a way to put it; just very nice, spoke to us as normal people. (Amanda) introduced herself and showed that they’ll always support us and be with us 100 per cent of the way.”
Newcastle United are once again a club with everyone pulling in the same direction. The owners, the manager, the fans and both the men's and the women's sides. It has been a long time since the feeling around the football club was this positive.
