Champions League game

Tuesday, 21 October 2025

The evening saw the first game I was in Newcastle upon Tyne for - Champions League tie against Portuguese side Benfica.  Champions League games are what every team hopes to bring to the club.  Along with it come huge revenue and wonderful prestige, meaning chances to sign bigger and better players to don our club’s colours.

This was the first time I was making a trip to the club I adore.  I have seen photographs of the stadium thousands of times.  I had been hoping that I could one day be physically at the stadium and experience the amazing atmosphere I have always read about.

Marching to the stadium got me all excited.  To ensure I would be able to get tickets to the game, I paid to get hospitality tickets.  I was not sure how much usual tickets would cost but I knew balloting for them gave me little chance.  What was more improbable was I wanted to catch this game, along with the weekend’s home Premier League game against Fulham.

So, I had tried to get in touch with the sales team with the team and was led to purchasing hospitality tickets for the game.  It meant that I would be paying for the pre-game meal and tickets, with the promise of an ex-player joining us.  I had thought that we would be watching the match at seats in the restaurant after that, but I found that I was to be pleasantly surprised later.

I was not sure what time to be at the stadium but decided to be there two hours before the game.  I was fortunate to be right.  I was allowed to go to Wings - a restaurant in the stadium for dinner.  It was a three course meal - with starters and a main course before the game, plus dessert served after the game.  I was seated with three others at a table of four and we exchanged pleasantries, plus some news we have about our team.

Ex-player John Beresford came to speak to us and I learnt that we were given seats in the stand at the Leazes end of the stadium. I was sat behind the away team’s goal in the first half, with the away fans singing loudly for many periods during the match.  It was a great performance by the team and I was glad to celebrate our team scoring thrice to win the game.

After the game, we were allowed back to Wings to have dessert.  It was just as well as I did not wish to leave the stadium with the thousands there.  The entire experience was wonderful!