Ex-Newcastle United star makes ‘many more’ prediction after Carabao Cup heartache v Man Utd

The Magpies ended a long wait for a Wembley final as they descended on the capital last month before losing 2-0 to Manchester United.

It extended their wait for a first domestic honour since 1955 but Harper believes there will be more finals and trophies to come.

“There was nothing in the game for half an hour and it just makes you think, ‘wow’, when we win something – and we will – it’s going to be special, and hopefully that’ll be the launchpad to many more,” Harper, who was at Newcastle between 1993 and 2013, told William Hill at the FWA North East Awards.

“It gives you that little taste of it, as players, as staff, as fans, and that’s where we want to be. Everyone is united in knowing that is where we want to be and where this club belongs.

“Hopefully, we can build on last year and move up a few places and do that year on year, then we can get back to the top of the table.”

Newcastle have fallen off the pace in the race for the Champions League. Howe’s side were one of the division’s stand-out performers before the World Cup but a recent poor run has seen them fall to sixth.

They do have games in hand over both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, who occupy fifth and fourth, but Harper has stressed even a top-six finish would represent a remarkable achievement for Newcastle.

“We just have to try and discover that form that we had pre-World Cup,” he added.

“I think people get caught up on this little run that we are on now, but you think how far we have come in 18 months through the work the manager has done and his staff, the owners and the recruitment has been excellent.

“The team spirit we’ve got will stand us in good stead. The gap from where we were to the top four is enormous and the fact that we are even flirting with that shows you how far we have come in a short period of time.

“We’re in a good place - a place where we have come a long way in a short space of time. To be pushing for the top six given where we were 18 months ago shows you that is the case and people shouldn’t lose sight of that.

“They won’t, it’s been a difficult run but we’ve got a couple of good fixtures now and we’ve got an opportunity to get back on track quickly.”