Image source, Getty Images. ByCiaran Kelly, Newcastle United reporter and Sami Mokbel, Senior football correspondent. 2 hours ago. 217 Comments. Eddie Howe felt a lump in his throat as the open-top bus turned the corner.. A giant tifo of the emotional Newcastle United head coach had been unfurled down the front of a city centre hotel to loud cheers and chants of “Eddie Howe’s black and white army”.. It was a mark of how Geordies had taken this one-time outsider to their hearts after ending Newcastle’s seven-decade wait to win a major domestic trophy in March 2025.. About 150,000 supporters lined the streets to celebrate that EFL Cup win, but it was hard to imagine a more contrasting scene before the one-year anniversary last month.. St James’ Park had rapidly emptied by the time Howe and his players set off on their lap of appreciation after a damaging derby defeat by Sunderland.. There were some on the terraces who stayed behind to clap the team off, but others showed their displeasure by booing after a meek display left Newcastle 12th in the Premier League.. The shift in mood was not lost on season ticket holder Adam Stoker, who feels Howe has the rest of the campaign to show he is still the “right man going forward”.. “I couldn’t be happier for what he has been able to provide for us,” he said. “Five years ago I never expected to be sitting here having finally won a trophy and seen two more Champions League campaigns.. “Eddie Howe has been hugely responsible for that and every Newcastle fan should be incredibly grateful for everything he has done.. “But what he’s done in the past doesn’t necessarily mean he’s the man for the future. There’s a lot riding on this end to the season and there needs to be an improvement when it comes to both results and performances.. “If we don’t see signs of future progress then, absolutely, there should be pressure.”. So what do the hierarchy think? What is in store for Newcastle this summer? And would a strong end to the season change things?. Another testing summer to come. Those at the top remain behind Howe.. Chief executive David Hopkinson was hardly unequivocal in his backing last week and made it clear he expected a strong finish to the campaign.. But the Canadian stressed Newcastle were “not having those conversations” about a change of manager “at the moment”.. With Newcastle estimated to have the eighth-highest wage bill in the top flight, whether or not the club are getting enough bang for their buck would be a consideration when the season is reviewed after a £100m-plus net spend last summer.. Howe has credit in the bank, but the hierarchy have been vocal in their ambition to become one of the world’s top clubs by 2030.. Change is already afoot elsewhere.. Last weekend’s announcement that defender Kieran Trippier is leaving at the end the season felt like a sign of things to come.. Newcastle are gearing up for another busy summer and are preparing for separate scenarios in the transfer market, depen
