Eddie Howe confirms he checked with Joe Willock over viral 'lost in maze' story as baffling joke gets back to Newcastle training ground

Newcastle United manager Howe has revealed that he held a light-hearted conversation with Willock following a fake story that went viral online. Newcastle social media prankster @FrancisChipp wrote: “EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock, 26, had to be rescued from York Maze after a distress call to emergency services was made at around 5pm on Tuesday. He had been lost in the UK's largest maze for approximately six hours.”

Despite its obviously comedic tone, the post quickly gained traction and even found its way onto BBC Radio One’s breakfast show, where presenter Melvin Odoom repeated the claim on air. The broadcaster later apologised after learning that the account frequently spreads fictional football stories as part of an online hoax.

As per the Shields Gazzette, the viral story also reached York Maze, which was reportedly “inundated with messages” about the supposed incident before issuing their own public clarification that it was entirely untrue.

Howe admitted the story caused enough of a stir that he felt the need to ask Willock directly whether there was any truth to it. Speaking ahead of Newcastle’s trip to Brighton this weekend, the Magpies boss addressed the bizarre situation with humour: “Yeah, I did discuss it with him, just to check whether it was true or not,” Howe laughed. “Probably like everybody else. This was right in the early stages of it. Thankfully, it wasn’t.

“But, no, Joe is fine. He’s got the ability to laugh with it rather than be concerned about it.”

The viral episode comes during a challenging period for Willock, who has struggled to secure regular game time this season. After suffering a calf injury during pre-season, the midfielder missed Newcastle’s opening Premier League fixture and has since been limited to just three appearances across all competitions. With the midfield competition intense — including the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton — Willock has found himself on the fringes of Howe’s starting XI.

Newcastle’s inconsistent domestic form has only added to the scrutiny, as the club sits mid-table after seven league matches with two wins, three draws, and two defeats. However, they seemed to pick up some much-needed steam before the start of the international break with a 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise and a 2-0 win against Newcastle United.

With the international break now over, Newcastle turn their focus to the Premier League, where they will face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium before facing Benfica at home. Willock is expected to be part of the matchday squad and could feature in the Premier League squad as Howe continues to rotate his midfield options amid a busy domestic and European schedule. The Newcastle boss has been keen to reintegrate Willock gradually as he works toward full fitness following his injury layoff.

Howe also emphasised the importance of maintaining a positive team spirit as the Magpies look to build consistency and climb back toward the top half of the table. The viral maze story may have provided amusement in the short term, but for Willock and Newcastle, attention now firmly returns to on-field matters. With a crucial run of fixtures ahead, including Champions League and league challenges, both player and manager will hope the next headlines focus on football rather than fiction.