Shola Ameobi: “I’m a local lad, so I know what the city will be like if we get the trophy at home.
“I remember all those years ago back in 1993, when I was about ten or 11. I can remember what Newcastle was like that day when the trophy was presented and we beat Leicester 7-1.
“It was incredible, and it would be nice to think that a week on Saturday could be anything like that. I wasn’t actually at the game, but I didn’t live far from the stadium and I remember standing outside my house just to hear the noise.
“It just seemed like it was cheering for hour after hour after hour. It was something I’ve remembered all my life, and it’s amazing to think I might be part of something similar all these years down the line.
“It will be fantastic to have the trophy presented at St James’, and that’s our aim now.
“It will be lovely for the home fans to be able to see us lift that trophy and celebrate with us.
“Hopefully, we can go to Plymouth and do what we’ve done all season – grind things out and earn the right to play our football away from home.
“We’ve got good quality in this squad, but nobody has a God-given right to just walk through this league. It doesn’t work like that.
“We’ve had to earn that and work really hard.”
Some have argued the league this season isn't as strong as it was back in 1993 when it was called Division One, but I have my doubts about that.
West Ham and Portsmouth filled a very strong top three, but West Brom and Forest have challenged this season, too.
The Mackems (50 pts) were only saved from relegation to Division Two (the old Div 3) by one point from Brentford and Cambridge (both on 49 pts) ... and we beat them home and away that season.
We finished on 96 pts ... and Hughton's boys can make it to 100.