Two open top buses left SJP at 4.30pm, nudging their way through celebrating crowds on Barrack Road, Gallowgate, Percy Street, Haymarket and the Great North Road before arriving at the Town Moor.

Abseilers hung the giant Wor Flags Eddie Howe portrait off the Sandman Signature Hotel.

The squad disembarked to be met by further crowds surrounding a specially erected stage, where former players including Bob Moncur, Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer had preceded them. A full replay of the Wembley victory was broadcast on big screens and several local musicians took to the stage - rumours of an appearance by Sam Fender proved to be false.

Ant & Dec (who joined the players on the bus from SJP) introduced Howe & Co. to the acclaim of the fans, before Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles and Bruno Guimaraes recreated their Wembley trophy lift. 

Howe took to the microphone to express his thanks to those present and introduce club backroom staff individually along with CEO Darren Eales. A number of players also spoke, including Dan Burn, Alexander Isak (with a word or two of Geordie) and Bruno Guimaraes - who ignored requests to avoid swearing and led a collective rendition of the Tonali song, complete with "hates the f**king sunlun" line.

A group photo was taken with the crowd providing the backdrop before a drone show presented by club sponsor Sela in the gathering gloom, including depictions of both Wembley goals plus the trophy.

The attendance was estimated at 300,000, equally split between the parade and moor. In reality, some fans saw the former then headed to the latter but there was still an enormous turnout - the manager and his players looking genuinely staggered by what unfolded before their eyes. So were we.

Eddie Howe quotes:

On the bus:

"Unbelievable. I didn't know what to expect today. This is really incredible, absolutely mind-blowing.

"You've got people hanging from lampposts, out of building, I hope everyone's all right.

"The people have been absolutely brilliant. I can't thank everyone enough, from Newcastle, the way they've embraced me and my family and I'm glad to have given them some joy.

"There is no other city like this one for football."

On the Wor Flags banner of him: "I was very emotional, actually."

On stage:

"We’re desperate for more. When you get a taste of something like this it makes you hungry. 

"Hopefully this is just the start but without getting ahead of ourselves in a sense that we now have 10 huge Premier League games to go back to and try to focus on that."