Eddie Howe said:

"Everyone came through OK. Kieran's (Trippier) substitution was planned. We're just managing his minutes. Everyone else came through OK, we managed to get some young players on.

"Kieran is fine. The plan was to play him maybe 20, 25 minutes but it was more than that because he felt good and wanted to stay on."

On Mark Gillespie:

"The work this guy has put in this season has been incredible. Too often we talk about the guys who are playing and not those who aren't playing but contribute so much. Mark is one of those.

"His attitude is ridiculous every day. He's always there for the players and you need a goalkeeper who is going to be there and be as consistent as Mark is. I'm so pleased Mark got this experience. 

"There are a lot of players like Mark within the squad who characterise our success."

On Garang Kuol:

"(We wanted to) give him the opportunity to showcase his talents. He's been with us since we started our journey from England. It's great to see him again and chat to him.

"(It was a) Difficult game to come into as we didn't have a lot of the ball, we went to a slightly younger team but then it was just a case of defending and seeing the game out. I thought he contributed to that and took his penalty really well so delighted for him.

"I think it's always difficult to say for certain what's going to happen with a player at this stage, there is a long way to go before the season starts. But possibly another loan spell for him will be important.

"He’s had a couple of loan spells now and I think he needs the next one to be a successful one. He needs more game time for that happen."

On the youngsters winning the shootout:

"It was an unbelievable experience for the players. That's why we wanted to make the changes at the end, in part for the young players to experience that pressure. 

"This was a huge moment for those guys. They all did well. It was a slower game than it would be normally. There was an understanding from both sets of players that neither wanted to go at full speed. 

"Both clubs have had an incredibly long journey to get here. You have to take that in mind and all the different factors, there was a really good attitude from both sets of players. 

"We're pleased to find a way to win, even if it is in a shootout." 

Ange Postecoglou:

"I thought the boys were good and it's important, because 80,000 people turned up and they come here with the expectation of seeing a Premier League side play and it's important we delivered that.

"I thought we were outstanding in the first half, football was good, we were working really hard. In the second half, we made a lot of changes, gave the younger boys some experience and, unfortunately, we lost on the penalties. 

"The main thing to take out of it is that we are representing one of the biggest clubs in the world, and I'd hate to think that anyone left here thinking that we didn't take it seriously, and put on a good performance for all the people who came out here tonight, spent their money and like I said, for a lot of them, it's the only chance they get to see our team play. 

"I think we did that, we represented our club really well, that was the most important thing. 

"It was also good for some of the younger boys to get some game time and all in all, I think it was a decent exercise."

Any doubt that expat Newcastle fans would travel to Melbourne was dispelled walking into the Precinct Hotel in Richmond, the bar five deep with black and white shirts and the main lounge bouncing to the familiar Geordie songbook. 

Mind you, this was the third of a three-pub tour of this well-to-do part of Australia's self-proclaimed sporting capital. The first, The Corner, was a vast empty space like the Labour Club, the second, the Richmond Club Hotel, crammed downstairs like the Newcastle Arms despite boasting three empty levels of bars upstairs, so arriving at the Wonder Bar of Melbourne was exactly what we needed.

A couple from Pegswood who now live in Perth were loving the atmosphere, the NUFC Sydney crew were making a noise and familiar faces from New Zealand ten years ago led chants with gusto. 

The party was over as soon as it began; the call went out to get the fans in early to create an atmosphere. On the 15-minute walk through the leafy park surrounding the MCG, it was obvious that Spurs would have the majority of fans, but there was a healthy number of Newcastle shirts. 

Families with little kids were all decked out in their latest kits, old fellas were catching their first game in 50 years, couples at their first game together, one half asserting their Geordie roots, the other half wondering what all the fuss was about for the round ball game. 

Melbourne is an AFL city, Aussie Rules the sport of choice, the main topic of conversation: this was a novelty at the city's biggest and most celebrated stadium.

This huge oval venue had been transformed into a rectangular football field, the blue markings of the dominant football code still visible. Wor Flags had deposited a load of black and white flags in the away end, and they were in action well before kick off in a show of force from the Newcastle fans.

The Newcastle sections in the bottom tier behind the goal were busy, but by no means a sell-out, a kick in the teeth to fans who bought tickets up in the clouds in the neutral sections after the active section was advertised as full. In fact, the bottom sections exposed to the elements were sparsely populated, the drizzle only briefly sending fans under cover. 

Spurs players were barracked by the Toon contingent as their names were read out, the Newcastle players cheered like gods. A special drum version of the Blaydon Races had the Newcastle end at fever pitch; there were tears of happiness and proud puffed-out chests, and the Spurs fans had their Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur tune sung before local hero Ange walked out to huge acclaim.

The scene was set, the fireworks popped and the fire machines lit the sky and the players emerged late from the tunnel in the corner of the field.

The game? Nick Pope made a dreadful mistake to allow James Maddison to smash home in front of the Newcastle fans, Isak equalised to muted celebration at the far end, Eddie Howe made batches of subs during the second half, while the Spurs lot lost interest when Son went off

Spurs had the best chances, Newcastle didn't do much. Penalties were an unexpected bonus, the Toon kids putting their kicks away beautifully. 

Overall, the atmosphere was that of a crowd that didn't really understand or care about football, but this was a fine spectacle in front of a bumper crowd of over 80,000 at a marvellous stadium.

Thanks to our Aussie correspondent Paris Pete and George Hall for fan photos