Eddie Howe shows his class again as he shares beautiful moment with ‘incredible’ Newcastle player

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Eddie Howe is a class act, and the Newcastle United manager has proved it once again.

He has created real unity since becoming the Newcastle United manager, and backs his players so much for the work they do on and off the pitch.

Eddie Howe made an effort last summer to praise Jamaal Lascelles during a press conference in America, showering the centre-back with compliments despite not even being asked about him. He wanted to pay respect to him, and did it in a brilliant way.

Almost 12 months on and Howe has done it again, this time in Australia.

Newcastle beat Tottenham on penalties

The Magpies beat Tottenham Hotspur on penalties in Melbourne on Wednesday, with all five Newcastle players finding the back of the net. That included Garang Kuol, who made his Toon debut off the bench.

But the real hero was Mark Gillespie, whose save gave Newcastle a win down under. Dan Burn celebrated wildly with the goalkeeper after the shootout, as Newcastle triumphed over their Premier League rivals.

It was quite the cameo for Gillespie, who did not come on until the final 10 minutes. He replaced Nick Pope, coming on to make his first Toon appearance since pre-season.

Eddie Howe is so grateful for Mark Gillespie’s contribution

But while he never plays, that does not mean he is not appreciated. And Howe made sure he got his flowers during an interview with NUFC TV.

Gillespie was actually the one doing media duties, only for Howe to interrupt the interview and take the chance to thank the 32-year-old for his work behind the scenes.

“The work this guy has put in this season has been incredible,” he said.

“Too often we talk about the players that are always playing, but never enough about the players that aren’t playing but contribute so much. Mark is one of those. His attitude to training is ridiculous everyday.

“You’re on the end of a lot of shots, aren’t you? Day in and day out. He’s always there for the players to help them get better and you need a goalkeeper that is going to be there and train every day and be as consistent as Mark is.

“Those experiences for Mark – I’m so pleased for him, because of what he gives every day. There are a lot of players like Mark within the squad that characterise our success. I just wanted to say that to Mark and share that moment with him.”

Mark Gillespie is so important for Newcastle off the pitch

It was a touching tribute from Howe, and sums up how important players like Gillespie are. The likes of him, Paul Dummett and Matt Ritchie rarely play, yet are huge figures behind the scenes in helping the club be as successful as it is.

That is why they have been kept at St James’ Park for so long, with Gillespie recently being handed a contract extension. His Toon career is going to continue, despite not making a competitive appearance for Newcastle United since September 2020.

But Gillespie is an important figure on the training pitch, and Howe took the opportunity to make sure that he and the Toon Army know how appreciated he is.

Howe also confirmed that Gillespie will play in Newcastle’s final game of the season, with their second game in Australia taking place this Friday. The Magpies will play the A-League All Stars, with the Toon boss confirming that he will pick a very different starting XI for their last game down under.