Eddie Howe is set to be awarded the freedom of Newcastle after leading the city’s football team to a major domestic honour for the first time in 70 years. His nomination is expected to be approved at the next full meeting of the city council following Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup triumph against Liverpool at Wembley.
This honour places Howe alongside notable figures such as Alan Shearer, Sir Bobby Robson, and Jackie Milburn, whose names are inscribed in the civic centre’s banqueting hall. Additionally, the award traditionally includes the privilege of grazing livestock on the Town Moor, though some suggest this right is reserved for hereditary Freemen.
The council leader has described Howe’s achievements as extraordinary, emphasizing that he will always be a hero to the city. Before formally becoming a freeman, Howe will need to swear to defend Newcastle and contribute to the protection and conservation of the Town Moor. This 1,000-acre green space, larger than New York’s Central Park, is managed by the Freemen, who lease grazing land to farmers and direct the proceeds to charitable causes.
During his initiation ceremony, Howe will receive a scroll, hold a musket and bible, and take an oath. He will also present the city’s mayor with a silver coin minted before 1910. As a freeman, he will have the opportunity to attend quarterly meetings of the Town Moor joint working group.
The club’s ownership is reportedly considering constructing a new stadium on Leazes Park, an area of the Town Moor close to St James’ Park. This could create a potential conflict of interest for Howe, given the role of the Freemen in protecting Newcastle’s green spaces. In the 1990s, various groups opposed a similar proposal to build a stadium in Leazes Park, which was ultimately abandoned.
The Freemen, a historical and somewhat enigmatic institution, have played a crucial role in the stewardship of Newcastle’s green areas. Although they are no longer expected to bear arms, their traditions have changed gradually. Women were only granted the right to become Freemen in 2009, and in April 2010, the first 10 hereditary female Freemen were sworn in. Among them was a professor leading cancer trials research at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
Honorary Freemen of Newcastle have included figures recognized for their contributions to freedom and service. One notable recipient was Nelson Mandela, who was honored while imprisoned in South Africa.
In addition to Howe’s recognition, Dan Burn, the Blyth-born player who scored Newcastle’s opening goal in the Carabao Cup final, has been nominated to receive the freedom of Northumberland.
