NICK Pope and his teammates know they're 90 minutes away from becoming Newcastle United heroes and are motivated by the opportunity to make history on Tyneside.

The Magpies can finally end their 54-year-wait for silverware at Wembley later this month, and for goalkeeper Pope lifting the Carabao Cup would be a career highlight - even trumping his England debut.

Newcastle are now just a game away from achieving a target set at the start of this season and writing their names in the history books, with the current crop of players well aware of just what it would mean for the club, city and supporters.

Newcastle haven't won a major trophy since winning the Fairs Cup in 1969, with the players motivated by the opportunity to end that long wait for success.

"It is absolutely massive. It is something we talked about a lot right from pre-season - how long it's been since the club has won something, how long since it has reached a final," says Pope.

"Now this group of players have the opportunity to make our mark on the history of this unbelievable football club. The city has been through a lot of years with not too much success."

The local lads in the Newcastle dressing room have made sure all of their teammates are aware of what it would mean to lift a trophy, with Dan Burn saying the squad would be forever remembered as "Gods".

Pope says: "Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn, Paul Dummett, Mark Gillespie, it's something that's spoken about. It's an opportunity, nothing more, nothing less.

"We spoke about it in pre-season, it's been an ambition for everyone at the football club.

"It feels amazing to reach the final. You could see what it meant to everyone at the end - even before kick off in fact and of course during the game. Ever since reaching the semis, all the talk has been about us making the final so we are delighted to be there. But we haven't won anything yet.

"Right at the start of the season, we talked about our ambitions and improving our results in the cup competitions and what it would mean to the city to bring a cup back to Newcastle. So that is our aim now - to go down to London and bring one home."

Last time Pope played at Wembley he made a costly error for England against Germany but he's "proud" of the way he reacted to that mistake, and can now use his experience at the national stadium to help his teammates ahead of the final.

He says: "That (the Germany game) is not a great memory obviously but I've had a good few ones this season.

"It wasn't great when I last walked off the pitch there but as a goalkeeper you have moments like that. It is very normal so I am proud how I reacted to that moment and look forward to going back there."

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Pope says Newcastle shouldn't prepare for the final any differently to any other game.

He said: "The pitch is green, the lines are there, the goals are at each end. I don't think there's too much to look into really. Play the game, not the occasion.

"That's stood us in good stead this season."

In terms of Pope's own achievements, he says: "Making the final is right at the top for me, alongside singing the national anthem and my England debut. If we win it, that'll be alone at the top."