St James’ Park prepares to host its first Champions League game since March 2003 as Newcastle United host PSG on the anniversary of the infamous 'LLLLLLWLLD' banner.
Newcastle upset the odds to finish in the top four of the Premier League last season as Eddie Howe led the Saudi Arabia project at the club to join the table of European elite just over 18 months after the Saudi Public Investment Fund took control of the Magpies.
Howe’s side have been drawn in the ‘group of death’ alongside oil-rich PSG, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund in a monumental return to the Champions League. Newcastle survived an onslaught away at Milan in the opening group game to begin their campaign with a welcome point and now host Kylian Mbappe and co on Wednesday night.
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The club’s incredible turnaround under PIF and Howe has been nothing short of staggering in such a short space of time. And the PSG clash under the floodlight on Tyneside comes on the anniversary of an infamous sign that was held aloft during the Toon’s 2-2 Premier League draw away at Swansea City in 2014.
Newcastle had finished 10th the season previous under Alan Pardew but had lost seven of their final eight games during the 2013/14 campaign – winning just four times since the New Year as they fell away from the European places. The 2014/15 season started how the previous had ended – seeing Pardew’s side winless in their opening six games before heading to Swansea.
Can you remember Newcastle United fans’ infamous ‘'LLLLLLWLLD' banner? Let us know in the comments section.
The banner which read: "LLWDLLLWWLWLLLLLLLLWLLDDLD" with the caption “Not a Welsh Town. Our form in 2014,” was aimed at Pardew as the Twitter page ‘Sack Pardew’ thanked the Swansea staff and police for allowing the protest and ranted: “Devoid of ideas, inspiration and more importantly league wins. Even the most conservative supporter must agree.”
Pardew would incredibly turn around the form at the club by guiding his side to five straight wins before he left in December and was replaced by John Carver. Who would incredibly end the season worse than the previous one – winning just three of his 17 games in charge and seeing the Toon finish in 15th place in the table.
The following season however, Newcastle would be relegated and not return to the Premier League until the 2017/18 season. Howe’s side now take on the 2020 Champions League runners-up as Mbappe and co head to Tyneside for what’s set to be an exhilarating night of football, just nine years after the infamous ‘Welsh Town’ banner and seven years after returning back to the top-flight.
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