That was what the banner read (‘History is Made in Luton’) read, as we arrived inside Kenilworth Road on Saturday, to see Newcastle United Women taking on Hashtag United in the FA Women’s National League Cup final.
Except history and Newcastle United don’t always make for happy reading. They simply don’t do cup finals; 1974, 1976, 1998, 1999 and 2023 are all etched into every fans memory.
Kenilworth Road hasn’t exactly been a happy hunting ground in recent years either.
However, this is the Lasses and they don’t do losing.
They have been in outstanding form this season and going into this game had only lost twice throughout the campaign. Once away to WSL side Manchester United in the FA Cup and then a week later at home to promotion rivals Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle had already seen off Boldmere St. Michaels and Fylde, along with title rivals Burnley and Nottingham Forest in the earlier rounds, while a tense and tight semi-final victory over Portsmouth, a side that are above Hashtag in the Southern Premier Division table, meant the Lasses were overwhelming favourites.
Backed by the vast majority of the 3,719 in attendance, a sea of black and white shirts and scarves flooded the main stand.
Fans had made their way in droves, some by supporter buses, others by car and train, with several even travelling down days early to make a long weekend of it. There was even a fan park where live music and entertainment fired up a party atmosphere.
Not even the weather could dampen the fan excitement.
The first half opened and closed with glorious sunshine, but saw four seasons of conditions squeezed in between. Newcastle would take the lead after 16 minutes in the middle of a hailstorm!
