Eddie Howe shares what the Newcastle owners said to him last night

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Eddie Howe spoke to the Newcastle United owners after the club secured Champions League football on Monday night.

The entire Toon consortium was at St James’ Park to witness the 0-0 draw that guaranteed a top four finish for the Magpies.

Fans had already seen the ownership at half time, with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Jamie Reuben and Mehrdad Ghodoussi all taking part in the half time challenge while Amanda Staveley watched from the sideline alongside club CEO Darren Eales.

The owners then took to the pitch after the final whistle, and spoke to the man who has orchestrated such a glorious season on Tyneside.

Howe has taken Newcastle from relegation fodder to the Champions League in a season and a half. It is absolutely outrageous. He deserves so much praise.

It is going to be a big summer at St James’ Park, with big signings likely to arrive. But rather than talk about new recruits with the people who write the cheques, Howe reflected on how far the club has come when speaking to the owners after the final whistle.

Eddie Howe reminisces with Newcastle owners

After the game, Howe spoke to the media. He provided an insight into his conversation with the owners on the pitch following the confirmation of Champions League football.

“Great to have a little chat,” he said.

“It was a lot of reminiscing about what happened when we first came together and the position that we were in. In very quick time we’ve ended up in a very different situation so it was sort of a quick snap shot back to that time.

“The faith they placed in me in that moment, I’ll never forget that they trusted me with the club when it was in really difficult times. Hopefully I’ve justified their decision so it was a nice moment with them.”

Howe is so humble

You would suspect there is a hint of irony in the final thing Howe said. ‘Hopefully I’ve justified their decision’.

This is coming from a man who did the first task with ease last season, guiding the club away from the relegation zone. Then in his first full season, he’s got Newcastle to a cup final and qualified for the Champions League.

If that is not justifying the owners’ faith in him then what is? The funny thing is, there is not even a smirk when Howe says it. He means it when he says it. That speaks volumes of his humility, and shows why he is such a good custodian for the club.

Newcastle are in safe hands with Howe, and the owners got it absolutely spot on when they chose him to replace Steve Bruce in 2021.

It is a decision that they could have got massively wrong too, with bigger names than Howe linked with the job. But they went with the former Bournemouth man, who is already forging an incredible legacy on Tyneside.