If football games were won on the passion of a club's support, Newcastle United would arguably be the best football team in the world.
Wembley weekend showed what many already knew - the fans' love and commitment for their club is unrivalled.
The takeover of Trafalgar Square was expected but the sheer numbers surprised even perhaps the most optimistic number cruncher. The pubs, from Kings Cross to Covent Garden, rammed wall to wall with black and white shirts with choruses of Blaydon Races and 'we've got Bruno in the middle' ringing out.
The Toon takeover of London was quite a sight. There were hugs from friends, families, and strangers. Moments of reflection - after 14 years of Mike Ashley in which the club barely existed and the cup competitions were treated with disdain, were Newcastle really here, at a Wembley Final? They sure were, and London knew about it.
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The players and Eddie Howe were aware of it too. It gave them added motivation to bring the cup home to Tyneside. Dan Burn admitted he wanted to be down there with them, while two of the owners, Jamie Reuben and Mehdad Ghoddousi even sneaked out to take in the scenes as Trafalgar Square - they couldn't make the party outside of St James' Park on the day of the takeover, they weren't going to miss this one.
The clean-up of Trafalgar Square early in the morning by a group of Toon fans, goes to show just what a special bunch they are.
Then came the day of the final, and genuinely, the number of Manchester United fans seen come midday was still not in treble figures but Wembley Way was already a sea of black and white. There was hope and optimism but above all else, gratitude that the long wait for a final was over.
The supporters seemed confident of a victory, boosted by the return of Bruno Guimaraes, the 54-year wait for a cup was all but over in the mind of some.
Perhaps it was a tad of blind faith. Newcastle's form has tailed off somewhat since the turn of the year, while Manchester United have found their own and look, to a degree, unstoppable. The final came at the wrong time for Newcastle.
Yet, if one thing was going to help them upset the odds - it was the fans. Wembley became as close to home as it was possible to be. Man United fans drowned out before, during and after the games. Their red and white scarves were no match for the black and white display that Newcastle supporters' group Wor Flags put together. Even the toughest Toon fan would have been fighting back the tears.
Then with two minutes remaining of the game, with the engraver sharpening his tools in favour of Man United, the Toon fans showed that no matter what happens to their club - the bedrock of it will always be them. Their heart, their passion, and their commitment.
In an unprompted moment, the black and white flags were raised into the air - first, a handful across the stand, then more in unison before the whole terrace was a sea of black and white. Had you just switched the television on, you would have assumed Newcastle were taking the cup home.
It was a moment that didn't go unnoticed by the players - as goalkeeper Loris Karius noted: "It was amazing. Newcastle fans are something else and that gives you real trust and a good feeling going into a game like this when you know, you have everyone behind you and cheering you on also at the end of the game, when everyone brought their flags out, even though we were two nil down, it was a few minutes to go, they were supporting us till the end. So they really did whatever they could today and they should be proud of themselves for carrying us this way."
The sight was special. It whetted the appetite for another final and left you thinking - this is when they've lost, what happens when they win?
But the truth of the matter was that Newcastle on the pitch fell short. It wasn't a poor performance - although the scoreline was kept to only two thanks to several crucial saves from Karius. The Magpies didn't get to the level needed, while Man United weren't pushed all that hard.
The players tried and ran themselves into the ground but couldn't find a way through a well-organised Man United defence. Six minutes cost Newcastle the game - poor defending that Erik ten Hag's men capitalised on and after that, it was about control for Man United and while they didn't have much off the ball, they largely were untroubled.
Ten Hag's ability to bring Aaron Wan-Bissaka or Jordan Sancho off the bench was another nod to where Newcastle fell short. The squad depth wasn't there but so early on a project in which Newcastle's current owners were fighting so many fires on and off the pitch, it's was unlikely to be so.
But this is just the beginning for Newcastle and while some who featured in Sunday's final may not be at the club next season, let alone the next final, they'll be remembered for being part of the squad that ended a 24-year wait for a final even if the drought goes on.
The fans applauded each and every one of them off the pitch - serenading Bruno Guimaraes who teared up at the final whistle. The power of the fanbase is an asset that money can't buy. It's thought the presence of chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan at the final on Sunday may ramp the summer recruitment up a level. He saw first hand just how far Newcastle have come but also just how big the gulf of class between the top teams and those looking to muscle in on them is. It would have reaffirmed what a good job Eddie Howe has done in such a short space of time.
And it was another chance for Al-Rumayyan to see the fan base at their very best and building a team just half as good as them would leave Newcastle with a squad to be envious of.
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