Chris Wood officially left Newcastle United on January 20th, and by January 31st he was back at St James’ Park.
Tuesday night was a special one for the Magpies, as they booked their place in the 2023 Carabao Cup final. Eddie Howe’s side will now face Manchester United at Wembley on February 26th.
It was a night of celebration, and it was also a night of hellos and goodbyes. Harrison Ashby and Anthony Gordon were given a roaring ovation as they were introduced to the crowd before kickoff, while Jonjo Shelvey got a wonderful sendoff during half time.
The midfielder’s move to Nottingham Forest was confirmed later that evening, where he will be reunited with Wood.
The 31-year-old has gone on loan to Steve Cooper’s side, with the move likely to become permanent in the summer for £15million.
Wood has made one appearance for his new club so far, but was already back at St James’ Park on Tuesday night.
Behind the scenes video shows Chris Wood at Newcastle game
The club have released behind the scenes footage from Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup semi final win. The players can be seen celebrating after heading down the tunnel, with even Jonjo Shelvey being dragged into the dressing room.
There is an appearance from owners Jamie Reuben, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Amanda Staveley, while the latter introduced celebrity guest Idris Elba to the manager Eddie Howe.
At the end of the video, Wood can also be seen chatting to Ghodoussi. He made the trip to St James’ Park to see the team play, despite leaving earlier in the month.
Interestingly, Wood would surely be eligible for a medal if we win the Carabao Cup. He featured three times for the Magpies in the run to the final, and actually played a pivotal role.
The 31-year-old scored the winner in our first game against Tranmere Rovers, then he found the net in the penalty shootout victory over Crystal Palace.
It is great to see that Wood was able to witness what was an incredible night at St James’ Park. He played an important role in getting the club to where they are right now, particularly in this incredible cup journey.