Newcastle United attempting to trademark 'Howay the lads' phrase

Newcastle United have formally applied to register the rallying cry “Howay the lads” as a UK trademark, a move that could grant the club exclusive commercial rights to one of football’s most recognisable regional phrases.

Filed with the UK Intellectual Property Office on 14 March 2025—just 48 hours before the Magpies ended their 56-year wait for silverware by beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final—the application seeks control of the Geordie expression across an unusually broad range of goods. Beyond the expected football shirts, the filing covers beers, spirits, soft drinks, lampshades, microwaves, hairdryers and air fresheners.

In Geordie dialect, “Howay the lads” translates simply to “come on, boys” and has long served as an audible heartbeat inside St James’ Park, belted out by supporters as both encouragement and identity. The words already greet players each match-day, painted above the tunnel exit, and will adorn the nape of the men’s 2025-26 home kit. Their prominence on television broadcasts has helped export the phrase to global audiences.

Success would give Newcastle a decade-long monopoly, renewable indefinitely, and the legal muscle to pursue counterfeiters. Yet the bid has drawn opposition. An unnamed party has lodged a formal challenge, arguing that the slogan belongs not only to the club but to Tyneside itself. Should the IPO side with Newcastle, local traders currently producing unofficial memorabilia could be forced to drop the phrase from their wares.

The application is not the club’s first foray into linguistic ownership. On the same March date, Newcastle also applied to trademark “Howay the lasses” for the women’s side. That registration sailed through unopposed on 15 August 2025 and already appears on the female squad’s new home shirt.

Trademarking iconic words is standard practice across sport—Liverpool FC’s 2019 attempt to secure the word “Liverpool” was rejected—but Newcastle’s timing, coming on the eve of a historic Wembley triumph, underlines the commercial momentum generated by Eddie Howe’s upwardly mobile team. The IPO’s ruling, still pending, will determine whether one of English football’s most cherished terrace anthems becomes a protected brand.