Nobby Solano studies the picture of his Newcastle team walking out at Wembley and shakes his head.
It’s May 1999, 23 years ago, and the last time the Tyneside club reached a final. The Peruvian says: “That’s too long ago, too many wasted years for Newcastle, but it also feels like yesterday.”
Solano makes the FA Cup final tunnel walk alongside Alan Shearer, Rob Lee, Nikos Dabizas and two hours later they were the latest side to try, and fail, to end the club’s domestic trophy drought which stretches back to 1955. Like on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final, Manchester United were the opponents, they won 2-0, the second leg of their treble.
Solano was invited by United boss Eddie Howe two weeks ago to give the latest hopefuls an insight into what the Wembley ring-walk will feel like.
How do you cope with the occasion, and not become emotionally drained? What is at stake? Why a player should be smiling, enjoying the moment, and ready to leave everything on the pitch. These are new challenges at the dawn of a new era for revitalised Newcastle and their players.
Solano said: “My first reaction to the picture is I miss it! Pitch like a carpet. You want to play again! It is nice to share that experience with Newcastle players.
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“We had big boys in our team like Shearer, Barton, Speed god bless him. Alan, all the time saying: Win this, amazing. The place was a crazy town, wow. Everyone was asking about the final.
“We walked out to the turf and I didn’t realise how massive Wembley and the occasion was. Massive. Bigger than the league. Half the stadium black and white. The noise. I felt it. I shook Prince Charles’ hand! I have the picture. Wonderful history.
“We did not prepare 100pc for the match. The coach Ruud Gullit didn’t have enough experience to prepare us. We’d lost a bit of confidence. Tactics can win a game, but we didn’t set up properly against a very good Man Utd team. Too open. Maybe sit back a bit.
“At half time we were 2-0 down. Children’s mistakes. I was told to come off. I took my strapping off. I was angry. OK, I have a shower. Then I was called back, Hamman has a calf problem. Nobby off, Silvio Maric on. Then no, I was back on! In hindsight, Wembley was a beautiful experience but painful too. I am still the first Peruvian at Wembley.
“This Newcastle have to be prepared properly. Don’t take too much pressure. The manager can have all the stress! Then switch on when you are on the bus at the stadium. I’d just say: make history. Forget the legends of old, these guys can be the ones. They seem like a good bunch of boys.”
Solano has returned to Tyneside after almost eight years as Peru coach, including missing out on World Cup final qualification to Australia in a penalty shoot out.
He added: “I told Eddie’s boys you are very lucky. People would do your jobs for nothing. You could be slogging away in construction. So just give everything, love your job, the people love their club. They can do it. Imagine the party.”
NUFC starting line-up in last final: Harper, Griffin, Charvet, Dabizas, Domi; Lee, Hamann, Speed, Solano; Ketsbaia; Shearer. Subs: Given, Barton, Ferguson, Maric, Glass
