Chelsea players and staff were not exactly relishing the prospect of an end of season walk of shame at Stamford Bridge after the Blues' worst ever Premier League season. Yet their counterparts at Newcastle United stayed out on the pitch long after the final whistle of Sunday's 1-1 draw. The visitors may have had a flight to catch, but they were savouring every moment of a heroes' send-off on the final day.
Those in black-and-white simply stood, entranced, in front of the away end for 10 minutes and applauded the 3,000 Geordies who made this journey and so many others across the country over the course of a remarkable campaign. How fitting that a host of players had thrown their shirts into the crowd by then, following the lead of so many bare-chested supporters in the sunburnt away end, at a time when the connection between those on the terraces and those on the field has never been stronger.
Eddie Howe wisely resisted following in his players' footsteps, but the Newcastle boss took it all in as the fans sang his name and chanted about Madrid in a nod to the Champions League nights to come. Before leaving the field, and waving this season goodbye, Howe clenched his fists, sprinted forward and punched the air in delight to huge cheers.
