Opinion

Nobody should describe Kieran Trippier’s time at St James’ Park as plain sailing.

He gained, then lost the captaincy. He endured a rotten few weeks in the 2023/24 season.

Two years after becoming the first Eddie Howe signing on January 7, 2022, Kieran Trippier was on the verge of leaving for Bayern Munich.

Many black-and-white fans would have been happy to see the pocket battleship sail away in early 2024, while wishing him well. Eddie Howe said “no” and Kieran Trippier stayed. As usual, the manager was right. As usual, I was far from alone in being wrong.

Little more than a year after that move to the German juggernauts was blocked, the full-back with the full-on attitude set the tone for the greatest day in his club’s history since the summer of ’69.

Our supporters dreaded one scenario above all others in the weeks, days and hours leading up to last season’s League Cup final. “I just want us to play to our ability,” was the common sentiment. Please, no more repeats of 1974, 1998, 1999 and 2023, when opponents well below their best cruised to victory as we fell woefully short. DELIBERATELY LEFT...