Chapter 321 – A Beautiful Farewell (1)

321

Treble Treble.
In the dictionary, it is just a word with the meaning of ‘triple’, but when applied to soccer, it has a tremendous meaning.

An honorable title given to a soccer team that has won all of its country’s first division league, country’s top cup competition, and the continent’s top club competition in a single season.

There were many strong teams commanding the league.
Among them, there was a team that showed off its strength even in the European competition, where the teams that insisted on it gathered.

However, there were few teams that could maintain their strength while paralleling their league and cup schedules with European matches, and very, very few teams went beyond this and won all major competitions.

Only a few teams that have overcome all these difficulties and won all the major competitions participating in the season can claim the title of treble.

Treble means the strongest of the time.
And in the long history of football in Europe, there were only 7 teams, including the European Cup, that were ‘the strongest at the time’.

Celtic FC in the 66/67 season
AFC Ajax in season 71/72
PSV Eindhoven in season 87/88
Manchester United FC in season 98/99
FC Barcelona in seasons 08/09 and 14/15
FC Internazionale Milan in the 09/10 season
FC Bayern Munich in seasons 12/13 and 19/20

The above team was recognized as the best at the time.

And another team has left a deep mark in the history of European football.

The moment Newcastle won the Champions League final, the last schedule of European football in the 37/38 season, after an all-time slugfest, Newcastle became the strongest team of the time in name and reality.

English Premier League.
FA Cup.
League Cup.
UEFA Champions League.

Tremendous cheers erupted when the Newcastle team, which achieved the historic feat of quadruple beyond the treble, left the arrivals hall at Newcastle International Airport.

* * *

In the movie 〈 Goals!
Football in England is like a religion.

Religion in European cultures is more than what Eastern cultures think.
Beyond simple belief, values ​​permeate daily life and the foundation of behavioral principles.

Isn’t this clearly evident just by looking at the three most important elements in a person’s life?
Eastern pre-dinner greetings are thanks to food and the person who served it, such as ‘I will eat well’ and ‘I will eat deliciously’, while in Europe, I express my gratitude to God like ‘for giving me my daily bread’.

Regardless of whether it is East or West, religion or nabal, it is the saying that ‘soccer is no different from a religion’ that indicates that football is such an important part of life for Europeans.

“Uwaaha — !!”
“Only the boat! Boat only!!”
“Jimmy!! James Fowl, look at me!!”
“Luke! Luke, you are a really cool guy!!”
“John! Newcastle’s eternal captain!!”

As soon as the athletes leave the arrival hall at Newcastle International Airport, tremendous cheers erupt.

Even though it is a small airport, Newcastle International Airport, nicknamed “International Airport,” Was so crowded that it was difficult to find a space to step foot in.

Despite being contacted in advance, everyone looked around with a puzzled look at the huge crowd and heat.

“Movement! Go!!”
“Quickly. It’s dangerous to stay here!”
“Hey! What are you doing!! Make the line right!!”

The airport security and police, who struggled with the roaring crowd, urged the squad.

A car parade prepared for the day the Newcastle squad returns home with the Champions League trophy.
The police estimate that more than 1.5 million citizens gathered, Newcastle’s greatest ever carcade was starting.

Needless to say, the center of world football is Europe, and the best in Europe can be said to be the EPL.

‘Of course’, winning the UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious competition in terms of professional leagues, was a familiar sight to EPL fans, but not as much as in the north of England, where Newcastle is located.

Home of Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne… No, this was the first time ever that a Champions League winning team came out of North East England, which is higher than Tyne and Wear, where Newcastle upon Tyne belongs.

Even among the clubs based in the region, no club itself has reached the Champions League final, let alone won it.

Just west of North West England is Merseyside, home of England’s most Champions League-winning side Liverpool, and close by are Liverpool’s soul rivals Manchester United and up-and-coming losers Man City.

Fortunately, there was no Champions League winner in Yorkshire and the Humber below, but there is the runner-up team and the famous ‘Leeds United’.

There is only the sea to the east, and isn’t the famous Celtic holding out to be comforted by seeing the northern Scottish villagers putting their heads together? It is the Celtic that once achieved a quadruple by commanding Europe.

Except for the east facing the sea, the west, south and north all had Champions League winners or runners-up teams, but only Northeast England had no team that had a mediocre performance in the Champions League, the highest peak of European competition.

The European soccer culture thoroughly formed around the hometown means that the soccer team’s career is nothing more than the pride of the hometown, so Newcastle’s Champions League victory in Northeast England was like a festival for the entire northeastern part of England beyond Newcastle upon Tyne.

“I’m from Northumberland to welcome the squad back home with the trophy!”
“I am from North Yorkshire. Of course, I am an avid supporter of Middlesbrough, but I will be a supporter of Newcastle today! Newcastle is the pride of our Northeast!!”
“I support The Black Cats as a proud Mackems (Sunderlander), but I have to applaud Newcastle’s performance. Congratulations to Newcastle for leaving the history of the Tyne-Wear Derby.”

In time for the Newcastle squad’s return home, a procession of celebrations gathered from all over Northeast England, even supporters of the famously fierce rival Sunderland to attend the Newcastle squad’s car parade.

The local police force wasn’t enough, and the bus carrying the athletes began to move slowly as the police gathered from all over the city struggled to keep the line for the parade across the city.

Departing from Newcastle International Airport, the bus follows the A167 road and enters Northumberland Street, where the Philip Robbins Library, Newcastle University, shopping malls, restaurants, and the traditional market Grainger Market are located. Turned on

Leaving behind the enthusiastic cheers of citizens standing at the roundabout beyond Durent Road, past Northumbria University and turning south from The Biscuit Factory museum, the Tyne River appears before you know it.

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge, one of the most famous local attractions, can be seen as you turn west along the riverside.

If you go past a beautiful drawbridge that moves to allow ships to pass, you will come to Tyne Bridge.

After passing Newcastle Castle, go a little further west, meet Red Huey Bridge, turn north and follow St. James Avenue, and you will see the magnificent stadium in the distance.

The voices of the Chinese who came from Chinatown, located near St. James Park, were by far the most impressive.

“Red! Red! The pride of Asia!!”
“Hong Min-joon is salty!”

The end of the car parade is finally approaching when you hear the Chinese cheering, which can be heard exceptionally clearly even among the huge crowd.

“Welcome, friends. Nice to see you again.”

A bus slowly stops against the background of the enthusiastic cheers of citizens who have gathered in the city.

When the players who had been waving their hands in all directions from the lidless bus came to their senses belatedly and got off, a middle-aged man was the first to welcome them.

“Director. You suffered.”
“Thank you, Chairman!”
“Hmm.”

President of Newcastle.
The next king of Dubai.
When Crown Prince Muhammad Rashid Al Maktoum stretched out his hand with a benevolent smile, Director Botman, who was drunk to the fullest, trembled and grabbed his hand.

Cheers incessantly and flashes flashing everywhere.
Even in the hectic situation, the players, who were full of excitement and emotion, shook hands with the chairman quite politely, and finally, when it was Hong Min-jun’s turn.

“Proud of you. Very satisfied.”

The chairman held out his hand with a proud and sad smile at the same time.

“Choosing you was the best choice of my life, Hong.”
“It was nothing. I also have no regrets about choosing Newcastle.”
“You are the irreplaceable brother and benefactor of me, Muhammad Rashid Al Maktoum. It’s been fun. Way to go, Hong. In shala إن شاء الله.”
“I will also remember your kindness. Call me as a friend, not as a player of your own club. Thank you so far. In Shala.”

『The return of the heroes, the scene atmosphere!』
『The Greatest Welcoming Ceremony in Newcastle upon Tyne』
『(Photo Hong Min-joon shaking hands with the owner, Crown Prince Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum) The meaningful smiles of the two men?』