Dan Burn feels there is an inevitability about Newcastle United ending their long wait for silverware under the club’s contentious new Saudi management.
But, it must be added, there is nothing predictable about the defender’s part in their latest tilt at ending a 68-year wait for a domestic trophy, which ranks as one of the most unwanted barren streaks in English football.
Burn travelled the route less trodden to arrive at what he hails as his “undoubted career highlight”, a superbly-taken goal in front of Newcastle’s Gallowgate terrace to fire his boyhood club into the last four of the Carabao Cup.
Pushing trolleys at Asda in Blyth just over a decade ago, he was actually losing money every month making the three-hour round trip to play for Darlington in 2011 before the big break of a move to Fulham.
His has been a career laced with resolve to prove the doubters wrong, a quality that endeared him to Newcastle’s recruitment team when many felt they would spend their influx of new money on players with bigger names or reputations. Instead Burn arrived from Brighton and he has been a key part of their success.
After Tuesday’s win over Leicester he jogs up the 50 or so steps in the Gallowgate to join his family in a box he pays for at St James’ Park. He is greeted by loud cheers that echo around the empty stadium. He doesn’t normally keep journalists waiting but makes an exception this time.
“I can’t really believe how much my life has changed,” he says, asked about what it meant to him. “It’s been a surreal sort of 12 months and couldn’t have gone any better.”
Things could yet improve. Newcastle now have a first domestic semi-final for 18 years to look forward to as they reshape a recent history that has been devoid of any sort of cup success.
For a city craving success, that hurt. Burn the supporter felt the pain.
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“It was disappointing watching from outside the club going out of the cup every year but after a while you just accepted it,” he said.
“We knew we wanted to establish ourselves in the Premier League and that was just accepted for a long time but since this manager has come in that’s not enough anymore.
“We have made a big thing of it this season, we want to win something and give back to the fans a little bit. Whoever we get in the semi-final will be tough over two legs but we’re all absolutely buzzing.”
Belief is growing that this group can be the ones to end a wait for silverware that stretches back to 1969 and the Fairs Cup.
“The longer it goes on, the more you think it’s never going to happen but I’m sure it will,” Burn says. “I’m hoping this season but if not it definitely will happen.”
Burn was actually present as a seven year old in 2000 when Newcastle lost to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final. His memories are vivid but not especially pleasant.
“I just remember being on my dad’s shoulders going down Wembley Way. My biggest memory is how disgusting the old Wembley was,” he laughs.
“I remember walking up the stands and I had my brand new trainers on and there was just urine coming down the stairs. I remember we scored [Rob Lee equalised] and there was a lady in front of us kissed me.” Bedlam, basically.
It will be similar when the semi-final circus rolls into town later this month. “You do feel more responsibility as a Newcastle fan playing for Newcastle,” he admits.
“You have your family and you have the added pressure of knowing they are Newcastle fans and all your mates are Newcastle fans and knowing every fan in that seat wants to be doing what you’re doing. I’ve said a few times I’ve probably let it get the better of me.
“Probably emotionally being able to control myself a bit better which I need to work on but I have definitely felt the last year I’ve been playing at a higher level than I have been before.”
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