The Athletic

After 20 years away, Newcastle have secured their place back amongst Europe's elite,

a top four finish and a cup final appearance in their first full season under new ownership.

Are Newcastle ready for takeoff under Eddie Howe. I'm Mark Chapman. This is the

Athletic Football Podcast. Champions League will return to St James' part.

The best days since Subcommittee achieved straight.

So here for this one we have the athletics Olly Kay and George Culkin, who of course covers Newcastle for us.

A beaming, George. I mean, I just can't stop. I mean, I've never, there've been smiles over the past few months, Ollie, haven't they?

But never, never the beaming face that we see in front of us today.

It makes me wonder whether he's on some kind of bonus for Newcastco-Dosephibank.

I need to, I need to check his athletic contract.

But no, he looks, he looks happier than he does when he's just sort of finally stopped aching three

days after running a marathon.

Who would have thought, who would have thought, George, that a nil-nill-nill draw at home to

Lester would evoke such emotions and such an amazing atmosphere and such celebrations?

Yeah, watching Newcastle have whatever it was

83% possession as opposed to it being the other way around. I mean, I'm still getting used to

that sort of idea. It's been an absolutely phenomenal season and to get back into the Champions

League after so long, an extraordinary situation for the club to be, and nobody,

nobody at the club was targeting that or predicting that back in August, but they've kept

the momentum up from last season, obviously getting to a cup final along the way.

And yeah, I mean, I am, I feel very happy about that as someone who loves Newcastle,

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