England's two domestic knock-out trophies have been significantly devalued through shifting sands over the lengthy passage of time.
The FA Cup is no longer the be-all-and-end-all of glamorous achievement as it was when Wor Jackie and Bobby Mitchell strutted their stuff across the fifties while the League Cup has always operated as the spare to football's heir.
However on the banks of the River Tyne cup dreams remain a constant fascination rooted in the club's DNA even though inexplicably nought has been achieved for 68 years. Whereas fans and clubs elsewhere may view the FA and League Cups as an irrelevance looking instead towards the wider boundaries of Europe we do not dismiss the opportunity of winning something so easily.
