Last time the two clubs met at Wembley it was Newcastle United who beat Liverpool -Strange but true

Newcastle United are set to face Liverpool at Wembley today in the League Cup Final, and the anticipation among fans is palpable. This is a moment that has been decades in the making, and the hope is that this time, the Magpies can finally bring home the silverware.

To fully appreciate the significance of this occasion, let’s take a journey back in time—37 years ago, to be exact—to an era when English football was in a very different place. The year was 1988, a time before the Premier League existed, and the sport was struggling to regain its footing after years of decline.

It was also the centenary of the Football League, and to mark this historic milestone, a series of events were organized. However, looking back through the lens of 2024, these celebrations seem almost surreal in their oddity and lack of public appeal.

Among the events was a match at Wembley between a Football League XI and a Rest of the World XI, featuring legends like Diego Maradona and Gary Lineker.

There was also a clash between League champions Everton and Bayern Munich, which Everton won 3-1, echoing their European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final victory in 1985.

However, the most peculiar of these celebrations was the Football League Centenary Trophy, a tournament involving the top eight teams from the 1987/88 season.

Newcastle United, having finished a respectable eighth, secured a spot in the competition. Their journey ended in the semi-finals, where they lost to Manchester United in extra time. The road to that semi-final included a hard-fought victory over Wimbledon, thanks to a Michael O’Neill goal in front of a modest crowd of 17,141 at St. James’ Park.

The semi-final at Old Trafford drew an even smaller crowd, with just 14,698 fans in attendance. Despite the sparse turnout, I was there with a friend, passionately supporting Newcastle and trading banter with the Manchester United fans seated above us.

Back then, my love for Newcastle United and music knew no bounds, and I would travel far and wide to follow the team. If loyalty points had existed, I would have accumulated far more than the four I currently hold.

The Football League Centenary Tournament, also known as the Mercantile Credit Football Festival, reached its climax in April 1989 at Wembley Stadium. This bizarre spectacle featured 16 clubs from all four divisions, with fans from across the country descending on the iconic venue.

The tournament was spread over two days, with half the teams eliminated on the first day. Despite the Football League’s hopes, the event failed to capture the public’s imagination.

The first day attracted 41,500 fans, while the second day saw a paltry 17,000 in attendance. The absence of London clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, and Chelsea didn’t help matters.

Hooliganism was a significant issue in English football at the time, and having fans from rival clubs like Newcastle, Sunderland, Leeds, Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and Wolves all in one place seemed like a recipe for disaster.

Fortunately, the segregation at Wembley worked, and the tournament passed without incident. My friend and I had traveled down on the Armstrong Galley Clipper, leaving Newcastle at midnight and staying at my aunt’s house near Wembley.

The weekend got off to an awkward start when my cousin made an unexpected appearance in her dressing gown during breakfast, much to my friend’s discomfort. After that awkward episode, we headed to Wembley, ready to cheer on Newcastle.

The tournament was ultimately won by Nottingham Forest, who defeated Sheffield Wednesday in a penalty shootout. As for Newcastle, they drew 0-0 with Liverpool in their opening match and progressed via penalties, only to suffer an embarrassing defeat to Fourth Division Tranmere Rovers.

It was a typical Newcastle moment—full of hope, only to end in disappointment. With our hopes dashed, my friend and I sought solace in the bars of central London before returning to my aunt’s house in a drunken stupor.

After the previous day’s awkwardness, we used Newcastle’s poor cup record as an excuse to leave early, hungover and disheartened, as we made our way back to the North East.

Fast forward to the present day, and Newcastle United find themselves back at Wembley, facing Liverpool once again. The parallels to 1988 are striking, but this time, the stakes are even higher.

The dream scenario? A repeat of that penalty shootout victory over Liverpool, but with a different outcome in the final. The hope is that Newcastle can finally end their long wait for a major trophy and bring the League Cup back to Tyneside.

The passion of the fans, the resilience of the team, and the leadership of Eddie Howe all point to a team ready to make history. As the Magpies step onto the hallowed Wembley turf, the memories of 1988 serve as a reminder of how far the club has come—and how much this moment means to everyone connected with Newcastle United. Today, the dream is alive, and the hope is that this time, the story will have a happier ending.