Eddie Howe blown away after what Newcastle fans did at full time yesterday

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Eddie Howe has spoken about Newcastle United’s brilliant fanbase after they stayed behind to applaud the players on Sunday despite the 0-2 defeat.

There aren’t many sets of fans who will watch their side lose 0-2 at home and stick around to applaud the players, in fact, most fans have usually cleared the stadium well before the final whistle has blown.

Such is the connection now at Newcastle between the team and the fans, that the Toon Army will stay behind to give their appreciation for their efforts.

Newcastle fans continue to impress Eddie Howe

Despite being in the job for a year and a half now, Eddie Howe still finds it incredible to see, telling NUFC TV after the game: “It was an amazing thing, it always is to get that support. I remember one of the first batch of games we had here, of course, we lost to Cambridge in the FA Cup, we had some disappointing defeats and the crowd were incredible with us.

“They stayed with us when we needed them in that relegation battle that we had. For me, that was the key to us surviving and we’re desperate to bring success to them.”

Eddie Howe’s comments were echoed by Kieran Trippier in his post-match interview with NUFC TV when he was asked about the fans staying behind. Trippier said: “To be honest I don’t think I need to say much about the supporters. Since I’ve arrived here they’ve been unbelievable, even when we got beat today you see them clapping us off. I think all they want is to see a team that’s willing to give everything. I think they’ve seen that today.”

‘We don’t demand a team that wins, we demand a club that tries’

It all comes back to that saying: “We don’t demand a team that wins, we demand a club that tries” and now we have that, the fans are more than happy to show how much they appreciate that fact.

As I said yesterday, the players can hold their heads up high despite the defeat. Arsenal were just a shade better than Newcastle on the day, just that little bit more clinical. The Magpies were more unlucky than poor, but that happens sometimes in football.

A defeat to title-chasing Arsenal is nothing to be embarrassed about and all it will do is fuel the team even more to take that disappointment into the game against Leeds United.