From bouncing European quarter-finals to feeble third round exits and just about everything in between, a lot has happened in the 24 years since Newcastle United’s last appearance in a major cup final.
The FA Cup final of May 1999 was the last time the Magpies graced the turf at Wembley for a major final. The iconic stadium has been razed to the ground and rebuilt in the meantime, while that day’s opponents Manchester United have since won 18 major trophies, including the UEFA Champions League just four days later.
It’s fair to say Newcastle’s fortunes since 1999 haven’t been quite so rosy, with early cup exits and missed opportunities blighting the club for the next quarter of a century. That is, until this season.