Why Newcastle United’s Dan Burn won’t be getting a Wembley suit after all

The Newcastle United defender hijacked a Sean Longstaff interview following the club’s two-legged semi-final win over Southampton.

Burn mimicked Paul Gascoigne’s memorable reaction to Tottenham Hotspur’s FA Cup semi-final win over Arsenal in 1991.

The 30-year-old grabbed the microphone from two-goal Longstaff, and said: “I’m happy, I’m happy, I’m gan to get me suit measured. Come on the lads!”

Burn, however, won’t be wearing a suit when he arrives at Wembley for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester United – and nor will his team-mates.

Casual wear

Instead, the squad will be in their normal tracksuits, though Eddie Howe, their manager, may wear a suit to the stadium before changing into his regular matchday attire.

“No, we've opted against the suits,” said Burn, who scored in Newcastle’s 2-0 quarter-final against Leicester City. “I don't really like wearing a suit anyway!

“It's something we spoke about. We've got a leadership group, and just said we didn't want to make it where we're going for a day out. We're going to win - and to have as little distractions as possible.”

The small details off the field can make a big difference on the pitch.

“That's what we've spoke about, those one percents, but I'm not going to say that's going to make a difference between winning and losing the final,” said Burn.

“We could wear suits and win or lose. But mentally, those one percents add up, and I personally think it's more a mentality thing.

“I know everyone’s excited, the city is, that we've made the final. I'm not happy with just being in the final, and I don't think the city should be either.

“We're getting to the final to win. It's a long time since this club has won anything and we want to be the team to change that.”

Early rejection

Burn, of course, grew up watching Newcastle. The Blyth-born player had also trained with the club’s development centre as a schoolboy, but was let go at a young age.

Eventually, Burn eventually turned professional at Darlington after a spell working at Asda on Saturdays.

“I wasn't signed on with Newcastle, so I was invited to train with a development team,” said Burn, who was signed from Brighton and Hove Albion last January.

“I got a letter to say I wouldn't be getting invited back. When I was training with Newcastle, that was it, I was going to be the best Newcastle player ever - and beat Shearer to his record! When you're young and naive, you just think you've made it.

“It knocked me when I was a kid. You go to school, and everyone hears you're not training with Newcastle anymore, and it affects you.

“But I've had a lot of these moments in my career, I've had quite a rollercoaster, and it feels like it helps push me on to know that people doubt you and you can prove them wrong.”

Ups and downs

Burn proved himself as a Premier League player after working his way up the divisions after being given a chance at Darlington in 2009 – and he’s enjoying every moment back at his boyhood club.

“I've had an up and down career so just to get the opportunity to play for Newcastle was amazing, and something I hadn't given much thought to,” said Burn.

“But the way we've managed to change the way we play, the league position, the way the club is being run, in such a short space of time, hopefully, this isn't the one and only opportunity we'll get, it can be a catalyst for more finals.”

Having overcome personal setbacks on his journey to the top, Burn takes most things in his long stride.

As such, Burn was quickly able to put 10-man Newcastle’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at St James’s Park last weekend in perspective.

“You realise the longer that you play football that the highs aren't massive highs,” said Burn. “When you play really well in games. it's probably not as well as you remember when you look back, and when you play badly, it's not as badly as you might think at the time. It's normally somewhere in the middle.”

Big distraction

Reflecting on the past few weeks, Burn added: “To be honest, I've been really proud of the lads, trying not to have the final as a distraction when you consider all we've spoken about, how long it's been since the club has been here, playing at Wembley.

"Everyone in the city’s talking about it, even though we had three games before we actually played in the final.

“I've been really proud of the boys. I think we've probably not hit the levels that we hit before, but, even against Liverpool, we started really well and if Miggy (Miguel Almiron) had put the ball past Allison, amazing save, the game would have been totally different.

“We did really well with 10 men. In years gone by, we could have folded and got done five or six, so to keep it at that against a team the strength of Liverpool is credit to the boys.”

Newcastle, fifth in the Premier League, have over-achieved so far this season.

“We always knew we'd get there (to a final) at some point,” said Burn. “We had confidence knowing we'd get there, but never the trajectory we've managed to do it in.

"We've definitely over achieved this season, nobody would have expected us to be sitting fifth in the league and in a league cup final come February, but I think we deserve to be where we are.

"There's no luck involved. The way we go about our work every single day, not just the players, but the staff who help us every day, there's no luck involved.”

Newcastle have made their own luck so far this season – and they can do so again at Wembley.