The banner in the Gallowgate End quoted the man who remains the only manager to steer Newcastle out of a Champions League group stage. “It’s not beyond our wildest dreams because we did have wild dreams,” said Bobby Robson. And if the Geordie romantic seemed more of a dreamer than Eddie Howe, the accusation, 20 years after Robson’s Newcastle secured their passage in thrilling fashion with a late goal in the final group game, was that his modern-day counterpart had been too wild, that chasing the dream cost United.
Newcastle lost a Europa League place by committing defenders forward in search of a winner and seeing AC Milan score one instead. Boldness backfired in an instant but Newcastle wanted the victory. “That has always been my way,” said Howe. “I like to think that is the Newcastle way, the way the club has been traditionally built.” Not for them, the timidity of settling for third place. “We wanted to qualify for the Champions League, for sure. That was very much our intention before and in the game.”
