Newcastle supporters' class with women's team turnout as another Amanda Staveley promise kept

A packed St. James' Park celebrating a Newcastle No 9 scoring at the Leazes End to keep their faint title hopes alive? It might be a few years before that is the case for the men's side.

Becky Langley's Newcastle Women's team put on a show for the onlookers at St. James' Park on Sunday, beating Alnwick Town Ladies 4-0 in front of a packed crowd. Ultimately they fell agonisingly short in their search for the Women's Premier League Northern Division 1 title, with Liverpool Feds wrapping up the trophy with a 6-1 win of their own earlier in the day. Still, it was a day for celebration on Tyneside.

The official attendance at St. James' Park today was 22,134. For context, only 20,738 turned up to watch Watford vs Burnley at Vicarage Road on Saturday. The East and Gallowgate stands were full, most of the Leazes section was populated and kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes due to crowd congestion outside the turnstiles.

Credit must go to the new owners. This game simply would not have taken place at St. James' Park under the previous regime. Even if it had, it would not have drawn in the type of crowd on display today. The positive atmosphere around the club since the takeover made the incredible turnout possible.

Amanda Staveley was in attendance, alongside her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi and manager Eddie Howe, who kept good on his word to attend the game earlier this week. From the first moments the new ownership walked through the door, they vowed to improve and support the women's side. After the show of support today, it is without doubt that they will stage another women's game at the home of the men's side.

“I’m passionate to get the women's football really moved back into the heart of the club," Staveley said in one of