A terminally ill Newcastle United fan has told Eddie Howe “I told you so” after his encouragement to play Sandro Tonali resulted in a match-winning brace.
Steven Hunter met the Newcastle United manager at St James’ Park following a press conference ahead of the Magpies’s 3-1 victory over Brentford in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter final.
In the meeting organised by BBC Radio Newcastle, the 61-year-old told Howe on Tuesday: “You’ve got to be starting Tonali on the morra’.”
When Steven met Eddie 🥹
— BBC Sport Tyne & Wear (@bbcnewcastle) December 17, 2024
Steven has terminal cancer and his wish of meeting Eddie Howe came true 🖤🤍#NUFC | @NUFC | @KellyScottRadio | @Raisbeck10 | @BBCSport pic.twitter.com/N1YQQemf0l
Howe did just that and Mr Hunter, a barber of more than 40 years recently given just six months to live as a result of throat cancer, was in the stands watching as the Italian midfielder’s two goals carried Newcastle to victory.
“That first one was an absolute screamer… the people I sit with at the match all dived on us, it was absolutely amazing,” Mr Hunter, from Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear, told the PA news agency.
“He nearly got a hattrick but, you know, you can’t wish for too much.
“I’m taking all the credit and going to milk it for all it’s worth trust us – just call me Steve the dairy farmer I’ll be milking it that much.”
Asked what he would like to say to Howe, Mr Hunter added: “I told you so… and I’m available most weekends.”
Earlier this year Mr Hunter said his friends “dragged him to the doctors” after his complaints about a persistent sore throat and in September he was told he had throat cancer which had spread to his lungs.
A smoker who quit cigarettes 15 year ago before using vapes, Mr Hunter was given his six-month prognosis four weeks ago.
Following the news, the lifelong Magpies fan was invited on to presenter Kelly Scott’s BBC Radio Newcastle show after meeting her at the side’s defeat to West Ham in November.
He told Ms Scott his friends were preparing to hold a living wake for him that weekend and after explaining his condition she invited him on to her show and later organised the meeting with Howe for him.
Ms Scott told PA: “We said ‘what you up to this weekend’ and he said ‘I’m at my wake’… obviously it was a big shock.
“All I wanted to do at that point was make sure that we could do something for him.
“We found out his dream was to meet Eddie Howe, then he met Eddie Howe, and his dream then was for Tonali to start, and then what happened was just incredible.
“Thanks to Eddie Howe… and thank you to Tonali for being so brilliant – I hope you did it with Stephen in mind!”
Mr Hunter said meeting the Newcastle boss was an “absolutely amazing experience” and many fans stopped him on his way in and out of the ground, recognising him from his BBC appearance.
“It was quite funny – me and my pals went for a pint after the game, then we’re on the metro and a lad recognised us ” Mr Hunter said.
“He said: ‘You’re that bloke aren’t you? We won £180 because we put a bet on Tonali scoring.’
“They wanted selfies and that… he didn’t offer us a drink mind, he should have shared (the winnings).”
Mr Hunter said seeing Newcastle win the Carabao Cup would be a “dream” but he has not set his expectations too high.
“That’s what I’ve dreamed of for years, any silverware,” he said.
“As I said to Kelly on the radio though, even if I didn’t have six months, I’d still probably be dead before they won a trophy.
“We’ve just got to see who we’ve got for the next round.”
Mr Hunter added he would most like to avoid Premier League leaders Liverpool in the two-legged semi finals, which take place across January and February.
