News, North East and Cumbria
Thousands of Newcastle United supporters are making their way down to London for the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
More than 32,000 fans will make the trip, including those without tickets to the Wembley clash, with the dream of seeing the Magpies lift their first major trophy since 1969.
Despite facing Premier League leaders Liverpool, many fans are hopeful.
Lifelong Newcastle fan Lorraine Harrison said: “We can go toe-to-toe with any team in the country. So I just think, if they’ve got the belief that they can do it, why not?”
On Saturday morning, the iconic Angel of the North statue in Gateshead was draped in a black and white Newcastle United shirt.
The Gateshead Millennium Bridge crossing the River Tyne was also decked out with a flag earlier in the week.
Among the fans travelling to Wembley are father and son Peter and Charlie Maguire, who said they were excited to be travelling down again after making the same journey two years ago when Newcastle lost to Manchester United in the final.
Mr Maguire said to have that experience with his son was “absolutely amazing”.
“It’s going to be difficult, but I think you’ve always got to say we’ve got a chance because in football you never really know what’s going to happen,” said Charlie.
His dad added: “You have to have hope and you have to have belief.”
‘Everyone loves a Greggs’
For other fans, Sunday is about more than just the football and is a celebration of the Geordie culture.
Matty Nicholls, from Ashington, Northumberland, has had a Greggs sausage roll shaved into the back of his head to mark the occasion.
The bakery chain has its headquarters in Newcastle.
“You talk to people about Newcastle, it’s two things mainly – Newcastle United and Greggs,” he said.
“No matter where you go down the country, everyone loves a Greggs.
“I wasn’t sure if people would get it. You don’t normally see sausage rolls on someone’s head.”
Bobby Moncur, the last Newcastle United captain to lift a major trophy for the club, told Radio Newcastle he hoped he lived to see the next one.
“I keep thinking, somebody’s got to take this role over because it was 1969,” he said.
Moncur added he would have liked to have seen Alan Shearer do it, and he nearly did when he captained Newcastle in the 1999 FA Cup final.
But the Magpies ultimately lost 2-0 to Manchester United.
“Every year goes by, sadly I’m a year older and I’m thinking to myself ‘I might get to see them win a trophy’,” the 80-year-old said.
His message to the current team?
“Win a cup before I kick the bucket.”
Shearer, writing for Sport, said he “will be as nervous as any supporter”.
“I know I am biased but if any set of fans deserves a trophy it is the Newcastle supporters because of their passion, their loyalty and how they have stuck by the team over the years,” he said.
Newcastle United fans gathered in Trafalgar Square the night before the final in 2023, but this will not be possible this time due to an event.
Supporters have their eyes set on Covent Garden instead, however the Metropolitan Police has warned there is a Public Space Protection Order in place which covers the area and most of London’s West End.
This means police officers and council officials can confiscate alcohol in the case of disorderly behaviour.
A spokesperson for the force said: “While we know many fans will be planning to have a drink and enjoy themselves, it’s in everyone’s interest that it doesn’t cross the line from celebration into antisocial or disorderly behaviour.
“Officers will intervene swiftly if it does.”
Alcohol has also been banned on LNER trains on Sunday after 19:30 GMT, following advice from British Transport Police (BTP).
A spokesperson for BTP said dry trains were “nothing new” and it would mitigate “the risk of spontaneous anti-social” behaviour.
