A match notorious for the double agent performance of Nicky Butt against his boyhood club and a sheer absence of effort or professional pride from the players. Just a few days after a similar cave in against Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Cup we allowed Manchester United to walk all over us and ease through to the FA Cup final as our season imploded. Butt's perceived reluctance to tackle his former team-mates and joyful handshakes shared with Sir Alex Ferguson at the final whistle didn't go unnoticed by the 35,000 Toon fans present at the Millennium Stadium nor the droves watching on TV at home. It's was the closest we'd come to reaching a major domestic final in the four seasons and flushed the opportunity down the drain with an inept and detached display that conflicted with the passionate and unwavering support afforded from the stands.
