Wor Flags always dreamt of a display at a cup final. The chance to showcase Newcastle United and its history and tradition to a global audience through an emotive display, was always the hope.
Through the dark days of Mike Ashley, the dreams of trips to Wembley or European nights seemed fanciful but kept the hope alive that one day, things would get better. Since the October 2021 takeover, those hopes became less of a dream and more of a reality as ambitious owners took over with a real plan to turn United into a successful team.
Yet despite the change of ownership and the movement in the club's standing in the Premier League - from making up the numbers to top six contenders - a cup final always seemed somewhat in the distance. A real possibility, but something to come not something expected.
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But after just 18 months, United have reached their first cup final since 1999 and stand a real chance of ending their cup drought that has plagued them for the last 54 years.
The Fairs Cup was lifted in 1969 but since then Newcastle have been the nearly men and not winners. This time, for many, feels different.
Newcastle come into the final much closer, if not level, with Manchester United - indeed, the gap that was so apparent in the FA Cup 1999 Final is not there this time around.
Yes, Man United have hit a purple patch of form that Newcastle enjoyed earlier in the season but only a few points separate the two teams in the league, and Eddie Howe's side have nothing to fear.
The very fact that is the case, is partly down to Howe and his coaching staff - who have installed a belief into the player but also have them organized and together. It's partly down to the owners who have backed Howe in the transfer market and made the right moves when it comes to off-the-field appointments.
And it's partly down to the fans - and Wor Flags who have taken the role of the 12th man and ran with it. St James' Park is not a place any team wants to visit - and Wembley on Sunday will be as close to home for Newcastle as it's possible to get.
Wor Flags will play a large part in making sure of that. The group, backed by the club, has organised a display that will require every Toon fan in the ground to lend a helping hand with. Members of the group will have early access to the stands to prepare the display - and make sure that when the two teams walk out come 4.25pm on Sunday, the red of Manchester are well aware of whose house they are in.
Thomas Concannon, a member of the group told Chronicle Live: "It's a dream come true, I never thought this would actually happen! That I'd be part of a flag group that is putting a display on at Wembley but it is a great feeling.
"Having been part of the group for so many years now, we've always dreamt of this day, of getting to Wembley and doing a display. The fact it is happening is amazing. We can't wait. We hope it all works! We've had a lot of boxes to tick. We've worked very closely with a lot of people and we're very happy everything has fallen into place."
Newcastle United have part-funded the display - and while critics may question Wor Flags' claim they are separate from the club, the group maintains they remain so but without the offer of help from Newcastle, the display would not have been able to go ahead.
"We are still a fan-funded group and we still are an independent group. The display idea was all ours. We just needed some help with the funding on this simply because of the short turnaround to the final. The order needed to be placed literally the day after the game when we beat Southampton so it was impossible for us in that time to be able to raise the money that was needed.
"We work closely with the club and we are just absolutely delighted the club saw the benefit of providing the funds that were needed so that we can showcase Newcastle United at a Wembley final. We were all on the same page that we wanted the display to take place and we're just absolutely delighted that the club helped make that happen because without them it just would not have happened.
"Simple as that, but every single display at St James' Park is still fan-funded and we're absolutely proud of that and we still maintain that independence in the displays. The club doesn't have any say.
"They trust us, we have a good relationship with them and it's just been a great process to be able to work with the club on this."
Most of the items of the display have been delivered to Wembley Stadium while a surfer flag and other banners will be taken down by members of the group in the days before the final. As always though for the display to work as planned, it's going to require a united effort from all Toon fans.
"With it being the first trip to Wembley [of the new ownership] and the first trip to New Wembley, it's been there a while but it's just taken us a while to get there, but we just knew it had to be a massive display. I've seen clubs do it before, so we wanted to make this a really, really special occasion.
"The fact it's for a final as well and not something like an FA Cup semi-final makes it even more special.
"Every single fan is going to be involved in some way, shape, or form, so please just be in as early as possible to get involved with the display and it will just look absolutely fantastic. I can't wait."
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