Newcastle United finished the season with a home lap of appreciation after a 2-0 loss to West Ham, where supporters repeatedly chanted “Eddie Howe’s black and white army.” Similar chants had appeared after Champions League qualification in 2023 and 2025, but this reception followed the club’s hardest season yet. Newcastle gained momentum late, collecting seven points from nine, yet still had one match remaining. At Fulham, Newcastle suffered a 17th league defeat, and players and staff walked to the away end with heads bowed. Howe said the season brought many bruises. Club owners and executives held an annual summit to understand what went wrong, using dispassionate analysis rather than emotion. Major changes are expected, and the squad will look different next season, with Anthony Gordon likely to be affected by transfer plans.
"Eddie Howe was alone as he set off on Newcastle United's lap of appreciation. But it did not seem like it. Not after the home support rallied around the head coach and his side with repeated chants of 'Eddie Howe's black and white army' after the final home game of the season, against West Ham, on 17 May. That same chorus had rung out when players, staff and their families walked around the pitch after qualifying for the Champions League in 2023 and 2025."
"It felt as if Newcastle had rediscovered a semblance of momentum in the final throes of a draining campaign after picking up seven points from a possible nine. However, there was still one match left to play. There was still time for some curious changes and an all too familiar reversion to type at Fulham on the final day as the limp visitors suffered a 17th league defeat of the campaign. No wonder a few heads were bowed when players and staff trudged towards the away end at full-time following a 2-0 loss."
""There have been a lot of bruises this season," Howe said. That is an understatement. It was hardly a surprise that, earlier in May, owners, executives and leading figures plotted how to bounce back during an annual summit in Northumberland. "We are in a moment right now and they want to understand why, what we are doing about it and how to fix it," a senior source said."
"Rather than reacting emotionally, though, those at the top have sought to address what has gone wrong with the help of thorough, dispassionate analysis. Some big changes are coming and this squad will look different when next season kicks off. There remains a gap in valuation between Bayern Munich and Newcastle, who will only sell on "our terms", but Anthony Gordon looks set to be"
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