Against Tottenham Hotspur, Mark Gillespie was Newcastle United’s player of the moment.
When Mark Gillespie took Nick Pope’s place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with five minutes remaining, it’s safe to say he received more than he bargained for!
With both managers making drastic substitutions in the second half, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United appeared to have settled for a 1-1 draw, blissfully oblivious to the fact that the exhibition match would, in fact, come down to penalties.
The referee blew for full-time, and not a senior face was in sight. Ciaran Thompson, Dylan Charlton, Harrison Ashby, and Alex Murphy made up a back four. The midfield was made up of Joe White, Lucas De Bolle, and Travis Hernes, and the attack was composed of Amadou Diallo, Ben Parkinson, and rookie Garang Kuol.
Gillespie assumed the captain’s armband by default on his first senior appearance in nearly four years. Being the captain of his boyhood club and all might have been enough for Gillespie in many ways, but the 32-year-old made it an evening to remember in more ways than one.
The former Carlisle United goalkeeper was on the winning side once more after participating in United’s Carabao Cup shootout victory away to Newport County in September 2020, which turned out to be his final competitive game.
Bryan Gil, a former £21 million acquisition from Sevilla, is the most seasoned player on the field, and Gillespie surmised how to deny him. And it turned out to be crucial as youthful guns from Newcastle, including White, Parkinson, Diallo, and Kuol Ashby, demonstrated to their Premier League rivals how it’s done.
Though it didn’t matter or result in a cup final victory, Gillespie experienced a unique event that made Dan Burn gleefully run onto the field and embrace his fellow Geordie! And Howe honored Gillespie in a post-game speech.
Howe told NUFCTV, “The work this guy has put in this season is just incredible.” “We talk about playing players much too much, but we don’t talk nearly enough about the players who don’t play but still contribute so much—people like Mark, for example.
“Every day, his approach toward training is absurd. Aren’t you the target of a lot of shots? Every day, Mark is there to support the guys and help them improve. You need a goalie that is as consistent, trains every day, and is there for the team as Mark is.
“I’m very happy for Mark and the experiences he has, as he gives so much every day.” Mark is only one of several guys on the team who embodies our success. I simply wanted to share that moment and tell it to Mark.
Because of his lack of playing time, Newcastle supporters frequently claim that Gillespie has the best job in the world.
However, Howe values more than playing time, and the Magpies will soon announce that the former Motherwell player’s contract has been extended by 12 months.
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