Eddie Howe to get the players he wants. He deserves it. He’s earned it. | OneFootball

Newcastle United fans have just seen the 2024/25 Premier League season come to its end.

A season that has proved to be quite magnificent.

As one season ends though, thoughts immediately turn to what comes next, only 11 weeks to go until the 2025/26 Premier League kicks off.

An ideal time to get a snapshot of views from Newcastle United fans on their thoughts, both on the season that has just ended AND what is to now follow.

So we sent out questions to a number of regular/irregular contributors to The Mag.

Next up answering the questions we have GToon:

Does 2024/25 now rank as your favourite ever Newcastle United season?

It has to be, simply because we finally won something and even beat the team we can’t beat.

It was almost a kind of religious experience for me when we finally righted the wrong of 1974.

In terms of the league it’s been real bizarre. I’d have to acknowledge that the end justified the means but there were some pretty poor games and results in a season where we have done just what was asked of us. We got top five. Result.

Which are your three favourite previous NUFC seasons (before 2024/25) and why?

For me, 1995/96 has got to be up there. I’ve never seen football like it. I remember the Sheff Wed away game with my dad when we won 2-0 and we just attacked them from the start. It was like the players didn’t realise they were the away team. But then walking out of the ground after the 2-1 home win against Bolton and they played “we are the champions” over the tannoy. I hate that song anyway but I turned to my brother and said. “ I think that’s a bit too soon.”

The promotion season under KK of 1992/93 was pretty special, 11 in a row! It was amazing. For the first time in my lifetime we seemed unstoppable. What a time to be a Newcastle supporter. I loved the games. Birmingham away. Won 3-2. Keeper knocked out. But we just couldn’t stop. At one stage I went to Brentford home, Barnsley home and Notts County away and 5, 6, 7 goals ! And I could get a ticket !

My last fave season is a funny one. I saw a few games which I don’t really remember but it was the season of the David Kelly goal in 1991/92. That goal against Portsmouth is one of the most important goals ever scored by us, 85 mins, 0-0 and then Kelly wins it. Never to be forgotten.

Talk us through how it was for you, on the last day of the 2024/25 season?

I was at home. One son was back from the RAF and the other from Uni. Angie had made us some food and we were going to sit down with various devices showing the games. I could hardly wait.

It was lovely to have my lads home and we were going to celebrate. I expected 4 or 5. What unfolded was watched in almost total silence.

When Everton scored, my eldest just got up, hugged me and left, uttering a few words I can’t say on here but you know what they would be.

I’m pretty well known for losing it but at the end of the game I was very quiet.

I was delighted with the outcome but that was a tough game to watch and it sort of spoiled the party. But we did what we needed to and we had the luck we needed from the manyoo game. I kept watching the video of the disallowed goal. I needed it to sink in.

In order, which eight players have been most influential across the 2024/25 season?

Isak, Tonali, Bruno, Joelinton, Burn, Hall, Schar and Murphy.

Have you at any point during his time at Newcastle United, thought that Eddie Howe’s position should be under question?

Yes. After the Brentford game and also at the start of the season where we seemed to get results with some pretty disjointed performances. Interesting to hear Eddie comment on us having a poor pre-season. And you have got to question people all the time. Eddie is obviously the best manager I’ve seen as we have won something and are now a top six side but self-reflection, evaluation and analysis, especially when we lose, are vital to success. You learn a lot more from a defeat than a victory.

Your favourite three moments in NUFC Premier League matches this past season?

The final whistle v Everton when we knew we were 5th.

Taking Crystal Palace apart and Guehi scoring another for us and finally, going to manyoo, expecting to win and winning, just like the big boys have done to us over the years.

What are your thoughts on Newcastle United Sporting Director Paul Mitchell leaving?

Eddie was quoted as saying we need to move fast on transfers as the good players aren’t available for long. More importantly he said “I have stressed this internally.” The next day Mitchell is on his way. Make of that what you will. From my point of view, he’s done nowt so what am I supposed to miss?

Sunderland are now back in the same division as NUFC, your thoughts?

Well I watched their game, laughing until 75 minutes. They have a very poor team and if they come to SJP and we put 6 or 7 past them it will be one of the best days of my life. In terms of the area, I’d rather teams from the north be in the EPL than southern teams.

What would represent success in the 2025/26 season for Newcastle United?

Maybe winning something like the League Cup and another top five finish. I’d also like to see us keep giving Arsenal a few bloody noses and manyoo too. It would be nice to beat Citeh for once and maybe even mighty Bournemouth. I’d also like to see us improve the squad and Eddie Howe be given the funds he deserves to do this.

What do you see as the minimum to achieve this coming season?

We need to be top 5 I think and competitive in the cups. Just behave like a top team basically.

Predict the top six in the Premier League (in order) and which three clubs will be relegated.

Citeh (not because they have a good manager but because they are able to buy players constantly and delay any charges while doing so)

LiVARpool

Arsenal (and I hope Arteta cries again)

Cheating Chelsea

Villa

Relegated: Bunleh, Leeds and our friends from down the road. Although I’d like Leeds to stay up and some southern team to go down like Fulham etc.

Name a Newcastle player who you think could be a massive surprise success this coming season, doing far better than most fans expect.

Well it was Murphy this season but I reckon it could be Barnes next season. He is a very talented player and looks great in a central role when he cuts in.

Who do you see as the six most important current Newcastle players (in order) for next (2025/26) season?

Isak, Bruno, Tonali, Burn, Gordon and Joelinton.

With NUFC now having won a trophy…Next three seasons, would you rather finish top four all three seasons BUT win nothing, or finish mid-table all three seasons AND win the League Cup in one of the three?

If we don’t finish top four our best players (to the delight of every media outlet and every media pundit) will leave. I suppose the most important thing is securing our place at the trough unfortunately.

What do you think was the key moment in the 2024/25 season, the turning point maybe, which then set us eventually on track to success?

Brentford away. The players had a meeting after that game and aired a few truths. Pope wasn’t playing well up to then and he got injured. Dubravka came in and steadied the ship while the lads got into the groove again. Eddie Howe wasn’t happy after that game either. He said a few things too. Good for him. High expectations are vital.

If Newcastle United had ended up outside the Champions League places on the final day, would this last season have had a bit of failure attached to it?

My mate is a Villa season ticket holder since the 70s. We have always compared our teams and we talked about this.

Tbh neither of us are bothered about a one place better off finish but unfortunately the implications of missing out on money these days can be catastrophic.

If we’d missed out you can guarantee some of our better players would have Sky outside their house offering to drive them to LiVARpool or London.

It’s pretty awful how football is these days tbh. All about money. The biggest game for me is the mackems home and away. Not Barca or Bayern tbh. They are just nice to haves.

Which players do you think would be ideal (and realistic) signings this summer (don’t feel limited to only players who have been linked to Newcastle United in the media)?

I think Murphy won’t replicate his form of this season again but then again, maybe he will, but we certainly need support for him. I think Schar won’t keep producing the goods. He’s slowing down. I think to be effective in this league you need a top keeper. Trafford from Burnley? And the other two places I have no idea.

Will Eddie now want a right footed right winger based on the number of crosses Murphy has provided? I’m not sure about the CB. Guehi has been very poor this season, although he has scored a couple for us. What I would quite like is some kind of statement signing, a bit like Tonali. I’d never heard of him until he arrived. But what I would like is for Eddie Howe to get the players he wants. He deserves it. He’s earned it.

Any Newcastle players you would be ok with leaving, that might surprise other NUFC fans (Including any where you think the money received for them and the extra PSR flexibility it would give, could then lead to an overall better team/squad)

Not really, but Bruno and Joelinton are approaching 30, I hope Eddie doesn’t allow sentiment to get in the way when the time is right.

What we need as much as any new signing is a new ground. The owners have done a brilliant job of turning the club around but they need to start moving on the new ground as we can’t compete until revenue increases. Look at rubbish like Spurs who have double our match day revenue for 8k more fans. A new 80k stadium please.