‘We’re ready’ - Newcastle United star sends defiant trophy vow to supporters
Lloyd Kelly has admitted he became aware of how much a trophy would mean to supporters soon after joining Newcastle United.
Victory over Chelsea on Wednesday booked the Magpies a spot in the Carabao Cup quarter-final. Eddie Howe’s men have reached this stage three years on the bounce - and famously reached the final in 2022-23.
Brentford await in the next round and, should Newcastle win, they will be a double-header of a semi-final away from another Wembley showdown. Silverware has been barren on Tyneside for generations, with United last winning a domestic honour in 1955.
Next spring marks 70 years since the Magpies claimed success on British soil - a blemish the Saudi-backed regime are desperate to correct. Former co-owner Amanda Staveley famously insisted Newcastle would win the Premier League within five to 10 years following the takeover.
FFP/PSR restrictions have tempered those expectations slightly but the St James’ Park hierarchy still harbour long-term ambitions to challenge the elite. The first step to doing that is trophies, with the Carabao Cup providing Newcastle’s best chance of silverware this season.
Summer recruit Kelly knows just how much success would mean to the trophy-starved region. He said: "I've definitely realised that (a trophy would mean a lot)," he said. "Speaking to people, seeing different things on and off the pitch, you can tell just how much it will mean to a lot of people.
"When the next game (against Brentford) comes, we'll make sure we're ready for it. We talked about the importance of the cup competitions in the lead-up to the Chelsea game.
“Going into it, we knew how important it was and what it means. And when the next game comes around, we're going to be ready for that as well."