Ant and Dec, the Likely Lads, Sting, Supermac, Shearer and the brickies from Auf Wiedershen, Pet – get your glad rags ready, Newcastle are at the gates of Wembley.
For 68 years, the Toon have had as much joy in cup competitions as Frank Spencer with a tool kit. The more they craved success, the more fortune deserted them. But in a feisty semi-final at St Mary's, they held their nerve as Joelinton's winner and England keeper Nick Pope's 10th consecutive clean sheet took them to the edge of heaven – and their first cup final for 24 years.
The Brazilian had an eventful night, controversially having a first-half effort chalked off for handball and missing the most sat-down of sitters before handing Newcastle an enviable advantage ahead of next week's second leg.
