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NEWCASTLE have celebrated ending 70 years of hurt in epic style – with the help of some familiar faces.
Geordie icons Ant and Dec led the celebrations as thousands of Toon fans lined the streets for a parade following last week’s Carabao Cup success.
Eddie Howe‘s men won their first silverware since 1955 after seeing off Liverpool at Wembley.
Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Iska secured a historic 2-1 win and ended the Toon’s seven-decade trophy drought.
Fans hit the streets in both London and Newcastle in the hours after the match.
And tens of thousands more joined a huge bus parade on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the win.
TV stars Ant and Dec were spotted almost in tears at the Home of Football during the triumph a fortnight ago.
They bagged prime seats for the parade, joining the players on two buses as they weaved through the city centre.
Ant was heard screaming after seeing the crowds: “Look at that! This is absolute brilliant chaos.
“We’ve got flares at the back of the bus, lads and lasses!”
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A huge poster of Howe was unveiled just moments before the buses left to begin their route, hanging from a nearby building.
Fans let off flares and waved massive flags, with chants of “Shearer, Shearer!” heard outside St James’ Park.
The crowd were treated to a full match replay of the final ahead of the parade.
Newcastle players will take to a stage in the city and speak to supporters once the buses complete their one-mile route.
Ant and Dec took turns to interview the players after they first spotted the size of the crowds.
A visibly moved Jacob Murphy gasped: “t’s unbelievable. Oh my God!
“There are not too many words to describe this. It’s amazing!”
Boss Howe added: “Wow. This is just incredible.
I feel like a competition winner!
Ant McPartlin
“There’s people hanging from lamp posts and standing on bus stops.
“But we knew the people of Newcastle would come out and support us.
“Thanks to you both [Ant and Dec] for being a part of it, too.”
Ant replied: “I feel like a competition winner!”
Focusing on Newcastle’s lengthy wait for a trophy, Howe continued: “Part of your brain hopes that one day you might win something, but at the time we were in a relegation battle.
“This is beyond what we thought we could do.
“There is no other city like this one for football.”
ICONIC caddie Billy Foster has leapt to the defence of Rory McIlroy’s bagman Harry Diamond.
Matt Fitzpatrick’s now former caddie also insists the Holywood ace is the man to beat in the majors this year.
Foster and 2022 US Open winner Fitzpatrick split earlier this year after a six year partnership.
World number two McIlroy has bagged two win on the 2025 PGA Tour season so far.
McIlroy has been criticised for failing to win a major since 2014, with long-time friend and caddie Harry Diamond also facing the wrath of the media and public.
But Foster isn’t having any of it as he insists Diamond is not to blame for McIlroy’s 11-year major drought.
Speaking to Prime Casino, the Englishman staunchly defended the Down natives bagman.
Foster said: “The criticism is not fair at all.
“It makes me laugh really at the people getting on his back. He has just won two signature events and The Players’ Championship, in four starts and they’re still on his back.
“Give the lad a break. He’s a very good caddie. Harry, don’t read the s****. That’s simple as. Because it is s****.
“Somebody’s opinion that is not educated, I think it’s wrong. I’d leave Harry alone.
“Rory’s playing better than anybody this year and they’re still giving the caddy flack. It’s out of order.
“Harry is his best mate, isn’t he? He has always been. He was there before he started caddying for him. Harry was his best mate. Harry’s a very good golfer in his own right too.
“He’s a plus two handicap or whatever he is and keeps himself to himself. He does everything right, he just needs to be left alone and left to get on with it.
“He does a really good job. I can only see the relationship getting stronger and stronger. He’s caddied for him for a number of years now.
“Listen, we all make mistakes out there and you learn from them. You move on and that’s it.”
The Northern Irishman bagged the won his second Players Championship after he won the AT&T Pebble Beach PRO AM, and is the only player to have won twice on tour this season.
But the four-time major winners prime focus is on Augusta National with the Masters just two weeks away.
McIlroy jetted to the Georgia venue prior to taking part in this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open.
The 36-year-old detailed the damage and changes to the course after Hurricane Helene, last September, while on his scouting mission at Augusta.
Four greens – including the 16th – were re-seeded and relaid after the hurricane wreaked havoc.
But the Northern Irishman said that changes were minimal on the course, despite some major work for the greenkeeper and his team.
He said: “The loss of a few trees is definitely noticeable, they’ve had to redo that [16th] green but it’s exactly the same as what it was.
“The hole will play – apart from maybe a few less shadows on the green late in the day – because of a couple of trees that were lost, but apart from that, it’s pretty much the same.”