This question was tricky for me because I’m only 17 and haven’t seen many great seasons… | 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 Dan Elder:

Three words to describe how you are currently feeling as a Newcastle Fan?

Optimistic, hopeful, intrigued

Three words to describe Newcastle United now?

Refreshed, Ready, Winners

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

The 24/25 season has to be my favourite season ever, as I’m only 17 and I haven’t experienced many good seasons, but this season has been amazing.

After being 12th in December after 15 games, to almost finishing 2nd if we’d beaten Arsenal and Everton. And the big one winning the League Cup, absolutely massive achievement and it’s a statement by the club. That we are here to stay and fight for trophies and titles.

Which are your three favourite previous NUFC seasons ?

This question was tricky for me because I’m only 17 and haven’t seen many great seasons, especially under Ashley, but the ones that spring to mind…

The 2021/22 season, in particular the second half of the season when Eddie Howe came in, and the amazing job that he did with the team that he inherited, how certain of relegation that team was, to almost finishing in the top 10. Big signings such as Bruno, BDB and Trippier. And the position switch for Joelinton. Great season and set us up for 2022/23.

Which leads me to my 2nd favourite season as a toon fan, 20 22/23, finishing 4th and getting Champions League for the first time in over 20 years and getting to a cup final, which we lost, but it was a statement getting to the final nevertheless, it was a massive achievement from going to relegation candidates to champions league within a year. We also made some great signings such as Nick Pope, Anthony Gordon and the big one being Alexander Isak.

And finally the best season I have ever witnessed is this season just gone, 2024/25. We won the League Cup, ending a 70 year domestic trophy drought, BDB scoring a monumental header and Isak the winner to seal the deal. Also qualify for the Champions League for the 2nd time in three years, we also did very well financially this year, racking in £90 million pounds worth from player departures. Although we didn’t spend big in the transfer market at all this year. It was still one of our most successful seasons in recent memory.

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

I was quite confident going into the final game of the season against Everton, but as we all know, no game in the Premier League is easy.

The ground almost had a tense feel to it because of how much was on the line. Overall, the game I thought was pretty rubbish all round, they were there for the taking with Branthwaite and Tarkowski being out injured. They were clinical when they needed to be and it was a smash and grab. I was buzzing when I heard about Man U beating Villa and overall helping us secure UCL and was celebrating at the end, but my Dad wasn’t as happy – he thought that it was underwhelming and overall a bit lucky. After going to Arsenal a week prior and having 2nd within our reach to being 6th at one point in the game. which I can see totally, but me and him are very just excited to have UCL again.

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

8th – Kieran Tripper, His leadership and performances have been astounding and have had a big impact on the team.

7th – Martin Dubravka, played a massive part in the season, stepping in when Nick Pope was injured and stepping in with unreal performances.

6th – Harvey Barnes – after spending nearly 10 months out injured, coming back into the team and barely getting a start and being touted as a waste of money and stepping up for the cup final and being excellent against Liverpool and having a solid run of games after that.

5th – Lewis Hall – from barely getting any games last season to being excellent all season until his injury meaning he was out for the cup final and the rest of the season. Absolutely excellent and many have forgotten how good he actually was.

4th – Jacob Murphy – Playing out of his skin this past season, scoring from the corner flag and getting 20 goal contributions across the season. He really epitomises Eddie Howe’s coaching ability.

3rd – Sandro Tonali – been absolutely fantastic and the way he covers ground is like nothing I’ve ever seen before on a football pitch. Midfield Maestro.

2nd – Alexander Isak – Wow. We knew he was good, but not this good, had Arsenal fans praying for him to join them and being linked with Barca and Real Madrid. A diamond and fingers crossed he signs a new contract in the summer.

1st – Big Dan Burn – An absolute Titan at the back, His header against Liverpool was amazing and has been a rock at the back all season.

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

I don’t really have a strong opinion on it, the situation probably happened because of a power struggle between him and Eddie Howe, Mitchell trying to tell Eddie who to sign and sell.

Overall, I think that we should’ve done more background digging on Paul Mitchell to find out more about him as a person and his personality and business strategy, but it’s in the past now, so we have to move on and hopefully our next Sporting Director stays longer than a year.

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

Sven Botman – He’ll come back refreshed and fit, he will become top five amongst CBs in the league and be compared with the likes of Saliba and Van Dijk. His pace and defensive presence will be sought after, going into the end of the 25/26 season.

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

I was annoyed at first, but I can hopefully get a ticket to go to the away match and experience a derby day down there. Fingers crossed we batter them home and away.

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

I think finishing in the Champions League again would be massive for the club and maybe getting to another final, but it wouldn’t devastate me if we didn’t, although winning an FA Cup would be class. Making it far in the Champions League would be unreal, a quarter final would be great, but if we don’t it’s not the end of the world.

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

1st Liverpool – Arne Slot will keep them on top form and will win the league again.

2nd NUFC – A shock but I think if we sign the right players we could honestly be challenging for a title.

3rd Arsenal – Netflix Fc, always waiting for the next season, and bold claim is that Arteta will be sacked at the end of next season.

4th Manchester City – Pep will leave after this season and Man City will have to hunt for a new manager come the end of next season.

5th Chelsea – Delap wishing that he joined us.

6th Tottenham – I think they have a good squad and a lot of potential and if they get Thomas Frank in, they could have a really successful season.

18th Burnley – Good manager and decently set up, give it a good go but fail ultimately.

19th Wolves – After the sales of Cunha and Ait Nouri, I can’t see them staying up. They’ve always relied on an individual player’s ability to pull them through and I don’t see enough quality in the team.

20th Sunderland – They’ll finish with less than Derby, break the record.

Which players do you think would be ideal and realistic signings this summer?

We definitely need another ST with Callum Wilson leaving and Osula not being ready to be 2nd fiddle, I’d like to see a young ST come in, some suggestions would be:

Semih Kilicosy (5,11 ft) 19yrs, Besiktas.

Emmanuel Emegha (6,5 ft) 22yrs, Strasbourg.

Randal Kolo Muani (6,2 ft) 26 yrs, PSG.

We need a RW to help Murphy on that right hand side, my suggestions would be:

Johan Bakayoko (5,10 ft) 22 yrs, PSV

Jamie Gittens (5,9 ft) 20 yrs, BVB

ROGUE OPTION – Roony Bardghji (5,8 ft) 19 yrs, Copenhagen

The other signings we should make is a CB and GK, my suggestions for that would:

CB:

Ousame Diomande (6,3 ft) 21 yrs, Sporting CP

Gonçalo Inacio (6,1 ft) 23 yrs, Sporting CP

Martin Vitik (6,4 ft) 22 yrs, Sparta Prague

GK:

Noah Atubolu (6,2 ft) 22 yrs, SC Freiburg

James Trafford (6,6 ft) 22 yrs, Burnley

Gregor Kobel (6,5 ft) 27 yrs, BVB

Any Newcastle players you would be ok with leaving, that might surprise other NUFC fans ?

Joe Willock – For me, Joe Willock at NUFC has ran his course. Absolutely fantastic on his loan spell but never really hit the same heights, with the lack of consistency and confidence and constant injuries, I think it’s time to sell Willock to recoup some of our money we spent on him. I don’t think he offers much anymore, lack of pace, poor decision making and not scoring goals or assisting. Overall, I like him, but if we want to push on we’ve got to get better midfielders as a backup.

Nick Pope – Great goalkeeper on his day but poor with his feet and hasn’t been as good as he once was at Newcastle. I would only sell if we bring in the likes of Trafford or Kobel, but I think he’s a good keeper and a lower down team in the Prem would be lucky to have him.

Odysseas Vlachodimos – An obvious one, I had high hopes for this bloke, a Greek international and played for Benfica for five years with Champions League experience. But after the away friendly at Hull City it became apparent that we didn’t want him or need him, disappointing after spending 20 million quid on him, maybe could’ve bought a better player at Nottingham Forest for the PSR deal.