As a kid, I stood behind the counter of our family shop on Pitt Street, watching waves of black-and-white shirts flood past on matchdays. The roar of St. James' Park was deafening, but inside our little shop, it felt like another world - one we weren't part of.
Drunken fans would stagger in, some shouting abuse, and Newcastle United Football Club didn’t feel like my club. It felt distant, unwelcoming, even intimidating.
Across the road was Murray House, where I’d run, heart pounding, through a gauntlet of racist taunts, a bit like Indiana Jones in Temple of Doomexcept this wasn’t an adventure. It was just life. Football wasn’t my refuge. I was rubbish at it, always the last to be picked, and every playground rejection only deepened my disconnect from the sport that seemed to define this city.
But life has a way of rewriting stories.
Fast forward a few decades, and my son, the absolute joy of my life, loves football. He plays for a team, far better than I ever was, and through his passion, I found mine. We were there at every home game. The transformation began with shared trips to matches, evolving into a cherished ritual.
Recently, we travelled to Wembley Stadium, not just to watch a game, but to witness history being made. For the first time in 70 years, Newcastle United lifted a cupthe Carabao Cup. It was an electrifying experience, watching our team triumph, a moment of pure elation that felt both surreal and deserved. Celebrating this victory together, amidst a sea of black and white, was undoubtedly one of the best and most memorable experiences of our lives.
This victory did more than just end a trophy drought; it reaffirmed my faith in the unifying power of sport. For 20 years, I’ve supported and sponsored grassroots football, from local junior teams to Newcastle University Women’s team, and now, seeing Newcastle United excel on such a grand stage has further motivated me. It has shown me the tangible impact of perseverance and community spirit.
Sport is powerful. It can exclude, but more profoundly, it can unite. This is epitomised by the Newcastle United Foundation, now situated where Murray House once was, demonstrating the power of inclusion. As a proud recipient of the Asian Business Connexions #Inclusionbydefault award, the Foundation underscores what we stand forunity through diversity and strength through shared experiences.
Newcastle United once felt like it had no space for me. But now? Now, it’s different. It feels like home. The club’s recent triumph is a testament not only to its players and management but to its legion of devoted fanspeople like you and me, whose unwavering support has been instrumental in this journey.
Because this is my city.
My region. My club.
This is Newcastle. And we are United.
Ammar Mirza CBE is Chair & Founder of Asian Business Connexions, Executive Chair of the AmmarM Group, Honorary Colonel of 101 Regiment RA and holds various positions across the public and private sectors with a deep interest in Inclusion, Innovation and Internationalisation.