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.
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Such are the standards now, though, by the time Howe made his way to the media room a few minutes later, the Newcastle boss admitted he was a 'little bit disappointed with the second-half performance' on an afternoon Anthony Gordon's first ever goal for the club was cancelled out by Kieran Trippier's own goal. However, Howe quickly followed up that criticism with an emotional message to a group that had overachieved - and some.
"I don't want to sit here and criticise the players for what they have given me this year," the Newcastle boss told reporters. "That is no way going to be my message to them.
"My message to them is thank you, really. Thank you for everything you have given while recognising that next season is going to be even harder for us so the players need to enjoy their break but come back fit, ready and focused for what's an amazing season ahead."
Although the players will be glad of some rest, Newcastle's supporters, understandably, won't have wanted this season to end. However, they know this won't be a one-off. Given the ambition and mentality at the club now, Newcastle will look to come back even stronger next season and the Magpies' summer spending power will be boosted by a Premier League merit payment worth more than the £35m Spurs banked from UK and international broadcasters for finishing fourth last season. And that is before you even address the equal share, facility fees and central commercial sums Newcastle will also bank.
It had been a long while since Newcastle had finished above Chelsea in the table and longer still since Newcastle travelled to Stamford Bridge as favourites, but the Magpies are a Champions League club now. Chelsea, in contrast, ended up in 12th. How times have changed.
To think Newcastle had lost their previous nine top-flight games at Chelsea. Yet this is a different Newcastle now, a team that have finished the season unbeaten in the capital. As assistant Graeme Jones told ChronicleLive earlier this season: "A lot of mental barriers have now been broken and there's a proudness about the players and supporters at the club that we can go anywhere in the country and compete."
Given that mentality, there was no danger of this being a dead game. Bruno Guimaraes said as much to NUFC TV beforehand: "We have to go there and play our way. Nothing changes."
Newcastle may have been without a number of key figures, including Nick Pope, Joelinton, Joe Willock, who were all injured, but Howe was still able to name a strong side. In fact seven members of the team that started Newcastle's draw against Leicester City, which sealed Champions League qualification, kept their places at Stamford Bridge six days later as Martin Dubravka, Matt Targett, Anthony Gordon and Allan Saint-Maximin all came into the side.
They all looked eager to make an impression on rare starts and there were just two minutes on the clock when Saint-Maximin slipped in Alexander Isak, who was denied by the legs of Kepa from a tight angle. It was an early warning for shaky Chelsea and Newcastle were soon in front in the ninth minute.
Fabian Schar's diagonal found Saint-Maximin out on the left and the Frenchman slipped in Elliot Anderson down the overlap. Anderson's cross picked out the unmarked Anthony Gordon, who timed his run expertly to slot home first-time. It was Gordon's first goal for the club. It just so happened to be against his former manager, Frank Lampard.
Newcastle's tails were up and Isak went close to doubling his side's advantage just a couple of minutes later after the record signing's shot flashed across goal. It was a dominant start and the away end were making all the noise as they repeatedly sang 'We're going to Madrid', 'Tell me ma' and 'Geordies in the Champions League!'
Chelsea players' heads did not drop, however. Never was that more evident than in the 13th minute when Dubravka, making his first league start in a year, clawed Thiago Silva's header off the line.
Chelsea took confidence from that opening and Frank Lampard's team were soon level. Twenty-seven minutes had been played when Raheem Sterling's shot bounced off Kieran Trippier, ricocheted off the England international's hand, and nestled in the net.
This game was so open that you knew both teams would have chances to take the lead and Newcastle had a great opportunity to get back in front in the 32nd minute when Gordon pulled the ball back across goal, but Miguel Almiron fired wide. Then, just a few minutes later, Almiron blazed over when he should have hit the target.
Remarkably, the ball fell to Almiron once more right before half-time when Saint-Maximin played the Paraguay international in. Although Almiron hit the target this time, Kepa was able to push the forward's shot behind.
Chelsea then went up the other end and very nearly took the lead themselves before half-time, but Dubravka made another fine stop to deny Sterling this time. Somehow, it was 1-1 at the break before the final half of a long season for differing reasons for these sides.
Yet Howe and assistant Jason Tindall were not about to let up on the touchline as they screamed at their players to up the intensity in the heat in the early stages of the second half. However, this game began to drift and it did not come alive again until midway through the second half when Sterling fired over from Lewis Hall's cross.
That was the cue for Howe to throw on Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy for Anthony Gordon and Allan Saint-Maximin before youngster Lewis Miley was handed his Premier League debut just a few minutes later. Whatever happened, it was going to be a memorable outing for Miley, who was roared onto the field by the away end, but the 17-year-old very nearly scored the winner late on when his shot from outside the area clipped the bar. It would have been a fitting finish to an unbelievable campaign.
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