A ticket for the 1998 FA Cup Final between Newcastle and Arsenal which was never used after it was lost at a tube station has been found on the Costa Blanca.
It was surely the most coveted ticket on Tyneside back in May of 1998 but one unlucky supporter missed out on the chance to see their side play at Wembley after their ticket was lost and later found by another fan.
The Toon Army had descended on London ahead of the clash against Arsenal, who were chasing a league and cup double.
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Some 79,183 fans packed into the Old Wembley but, unfortunately for one unlucky supporter, they were cruelly denied the chance to cheer on the likes of Alan Shearer and Rob Lee as the Magpies fell to a 2-0 defeat.
The ticket was never used and was later found at a tube station in London and remains in mint condition some twenty four years later.
The coveted piece of memorabilia later fell into the ownership of Stevie Shaftoe, a barber originally from West Denton who moved to Torrevieja in Spain, who followed Newcastle home and away prior to emigrating.
Stevie had it framed on the wall of his barber shop overlooking the Mediterranean sea at Playa Flamenca Beach which his friend Jeff McKinley describes as 'a shrine to Newcastle United'.
In the frame there is also a clipping from the Evening Chronicle from May 1998 which mentions the lost ticket under the apt headline- 'Ticket Misery'.
Sadly, Stevie passed away in Spain in October aged 63 but he remained an ardent Newcastle supporter during his time on the Costa Blanca.
The ticket was a source of great pride for Stevie and he took real delight in showing off his unique possession to his customers. His barber shop became well-known across the Costa Blanca for the unique memorabilia that adorned its walls, his friend said.
Stevie's barbershop even included an England replica shirt from the famous Euro 1996 match against Scotland, signed by football hero Paul Gascoigne with the words: 'To Stevie the barber, love Paul Gascoigne xxx'.
It also boasted classic Newcastle shirts from the 1990s, an Alan Shearer signed shirt, a St James's Park sign, a Sir Bobby Robson photo and photographs and tickets from yesteryear, including one from the 1940s.
The shop was a source of intrigue to many with the local newspaper, the Costa Blanca News, also getting in touch in hope of running an article about his shop and the memorabilia.
His pal Jeff McKinley, who also lives on the Costa Blanca, said that Stevie's love for Newcastle United stayed with him throughout his life even when he was living on the continent.
He describes how the lost ticket first came into Stevie's possession. He said: "He was an avid Newcastle fan, followed them home and away from an early age to the age of 43 when he moved to Spain. Every game he never missed.
"He had so many great memories. I remember one tale about Stevie where he couldn't get a lift back from Wembley and so him and two mates slept on top of a bus stop roof!
"He was well known all over Newcastle and well-liked by everyone who knew him from going to the match.
"Stevie went to the FA Cup game that day in 1998. From there whoever it was who found the ticket must've given the ticket to Stevie for him to have it in his possession.
"Obviously, then it ended up framed on the wall of his barbers.
"Stevie lived in Spain for nearly twenty years and of course, in this area of Spain he became well known for having all his memorabilia all over the walls."
The ticket itself, of course, may well be the only of its kind left in the sense that it was never used and it occurred to Jeff that Stevie likely was in ownership of a small piece of FA Cup history.
Jeff added: "When he passed away, we started auctioning off some of his memorabilia."
"When I was looking around at all the memorabilia he did have, it really stood out to me as the ticket has never been used- it's a full ticket."
Jeff says that friends and family have had messages from far and wide following the sad passing of the popular Geordie. 150 people attended his funeral, with messages of condolences read out from as far afield as Australia.
"He was a big character, Stevie and we've had messages from so many different places. He was well-known in Newcastle and all over.
"In his time over here in the Costa Blanca he started following the local football team, Elche. When he passed away the people who ran the coach to the Elche ground had a whip-round and bought flowers for the funeral.
"He was really popular, he never had a bad word with anyone. He'll be a big miss. He lived life to the full. We all called him 'Stevie the Legend'- he was a lovely man."
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