Tickets for Newcastle United home games are like gold dust. If you aren’t a season ticket holder, nor successful in the member’s ballot, a hospitality package is your only option.

There are various packages available – all offer a seat for the match. Currently the least expensive is £165 for the 3rd February 2024  game against Luton Town. That provides access to ‘The Barracks’, pre-match street food, pre- and post-match entertainment/guest speaker, a programme, a badge and most importantly, a seat in the Level 4 of Milburn stand.

Our last hospitality visit was in ‘Wings’ for the Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund on October 25th 2023.

The Wings entrance is probably furthest from where most enter the stadium complex. Seats are in the Leazes Stand, located at the Northern goal end. This is also the stand for away fans.

We scanned our tickets and climbed the stairs into a large room full of tables. Free beer and wine were available at the entrance – after that drinks were chargeable.

The hospitality rules state that no team shorts can be worn – but that wasn’t enforced.

The place was busy and service was chaotic. The food menu was as follows:

A pint of Guinness was about £6.50. A glass of water was a ridiculous £1.50.

Bread crusts were brought to the table – not sure why the chef thought entire pieces of bread weren’t foodie enough.

We chose a goulash soup and hot smoked salmon. The salmon wasn’t very good and a large bone hadn’t been removed.

The Goulash soup never appeared. We complained and said we’d skip that and move to the main courses of cod and beef – both were pretty good.

I would have had the cheese and biscuits, but time ran out and we had to head to our seats via a bridge to the stand.

Seats were padded, but were much narrower and with less leg room than those you would find if you had a ticket for Platinum Club (normally about £70 in the ballot).

Nonetheless, we were just happy to be there.

We didn’t bother to leave our seats at half time, but it was possible and many did return to Wings club. At the end of game, which Newcastle sadly lost 1-0 and deserved a draw, we went back to Wings. A delicious pie with mushy peas was provided – probably the best thing we’d eaten in Wings.

Wings hospitality also includes a nice lanyard and matchday programme.

If you have a choice of hospitality venues, then I would avoid Wings. The stadium seats are too small, the viewing position means that you miss Newcastle’s goal attempts in the second half and you have away fans chanting above you. The food and service are sub par. My recommendation would be hospitality that includes director’s box seating, such as Club St. James, which is usually a similar price or less.

It’s also worth contacting the hospitality team within a few days of a match and ask if they have any cancellations available – hospitality@nufc.co.uk

https://www.nufc.co.uk/tickets/match-hospitality-in-newcastle/