If you pressed your nose hard enough against the chilled window panes of The Strawberry pub in the shadow of St James’ Park, through the darkness you could make out the murals on the wall of Newcastle United’s former heroes.
Many of them are celebrated because of a connection with the FA Cup, be that as winners or finalists, three-time victor Jackie Milburn chief among them.
At 7pm, the current vintage should have been kicking off in their attempt to sketch their own place in the club’s history.
It was supposed to be the biggest game of recent times in these parts, a sold-out St James’ Park in the FA Cup quarter-final and live on BBC One to a prime-time audience.