Former Newcastle United star says club suffering ‘voodoo curse’ amid 69-year trophy drought

Kieron Dyer believes Newcastle United are victims of a “voodoo curse” when it comes to winning silverware.

The Magpies are approaching their 69th year without a domestic honour when Jimmy Scoular lifted the 1955 FA Cup in front of 100,000 spectators. Since then, Newcastle have lost nine consecutive games at Wembley - an unwanted record which stretches back to the 1974 League Cup final.

No club has managed a worse streak at the national stadium and that run continued last year when Newcastle lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester United. Speaking to talkSPORT, former midfielder Dyer insisted the Magpies are cursed, highlighting their draws in cup competition this season.

“When I was playing I felt that there was an unrealistic expectation where they expected us to win,” he said. “But that’s not the case, they’re just so desperate to win silverware.

“If they finished just above the relegation zone and won the League Cup the fans would be partying. They just want that one bit of glory, that’s all they crave.

“Newcastle this season, in the League Cup they had Man City at home, Man United away and then Chelsea. They’re just cursed, that club, when it comes to winning a trophy.

“That club has got some voodoo curse on it and it just needs to be broken because, once the curse is broken, the floodgates will open - especially now with the new owners that they’ve got.”

Dyer also reflected on his experience as a player, with Newcastle suffering heartbreaking UEFA Cup exits to Marseille and Sporting Lisbon in the noughties. He added: “When I was a player there we had three FA Cup semi-finals, I think. We got to the UEFA Cup semi-final and lost to a Marseille side with Didier Drogba, who deserved to win it.

“The season that probably hurt me the most was when we were in the UEFA Cup again and it was the quarter-finals. We won the first leg against Sporting Lisbon 1-0 and, away, I scored early to put us 2-0 up and came off after 60 minutes because I ripped my hamstring.

“On the bench, we thought we were in the semi-finals again but then they scored four goals. Bang, bang, bang, bang. Again, it’s a curse.”