Newcastle United head to Wembley this month, determined to end their major trophy drought.
The Magpies produced an impressive two-legged display to see off Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup to reach their second final in three years, where they will face Premier League leaders and holders Liverpool.
Newcastle suffered a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the 2023 final, but if Eddie Howe’s side are able to see off Arne Slot’s men, they will end one of English football’s longest major trophy droughts.
When did Newcastle United last win a trophy?
Of course, in football, not all trophies are created equal.
The last piece of silverware that Newcastle fans were able to celebrate was the 2016/17 Championship title as Rafa Benitez led the club back to the Premier League at the first opportunity following their 2015/16 relegation campaign.
But no Newcastle fan would count the Championship title as a major trophy, so that also rules out their second-tier successes in 2010 and 1993. Oh, and the one in 1965, which is an early clue as to how long Magpies fans have been waiting for a major gong.
We’ll also rule out the 2006 Intertoto Cup, plus a host of other minor titles, such as their two Texaco Cups in 1974 and 1975, plus their Anglo-Italian Cup in 1973.
Then you have the near-misses. Newcastle couldn’t get over the hump in the 1990s, with Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers finishing as Premier League runners-up in 1995/96 and 1996/97, before Kenny Dalglish and Ruud Gullit oversaw consecutive FA Cup final defeats in 1998 and 1999.
The club also lost the 1974 FA Cup final, when Keegan netted twice for Liverpool in a 3-0 win, while Manchester City saw off the Magpies 2-1 in the 1976 League Cup final.
This all means that you have to go back 70 years to May 1955 - the month that saw the Warsaw Pact created and Kermit the Frog make his TV debut - for Newcastle’s last major trophy, when Jackie Milburn - ranked at No.2 in FourFourTwo's list of Newcastle's greatest-ever players - scored after just 45 seconds to set them on their way to a 3-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The victory was Newcastle’s third FA Cup win in five years and sixth overall, adding to a trophy cabinet that also contained four First Division titles - but nothing since then.
