I wonder how many football matches I have been to? I watched a highlights compilation the other day from a few seasons ago, I hadn't missed a home game for years and had been to a few aways that season yet had forgotten almost all of them. Maybe thats because Ive had to suffer Souness, McLaren and Carver teams over the years or maybe as a Newcastle fans we don't get as many highlights as we would like. The most memorable game was my first one and Ive discussed this already here, but what about the others?
England 1 -1 1990
I wasn't there (obviously - I was 13) but this game from Italia 90 featured the best England team of my generation, full of brilliant players it really should have won the World Cup. This was also the first team to teach me to get used to being disappointed, I was absolutely gutted at the end of this game, by the manner of the defeat as much as anything. The Germans fluked the first goal from a deflected free kick, Gazza cried, Lineker scored, Waddle hit a shot from the half way line and we got knocked out on penalties. The following day we had PE and instead of having a lesson Mr Holmes lectured us for an hour about how he didn't like cheats.
Sunderland 1 - 2 Newcastle 1992
My second away game and second trip to Roker park, United had got off to a flying start and the new signings of Venison and Beresford had made a massive difference as we won our first nine games. This was the tenth game, surely we wouldn't lose our record to Sunderland? It was a sunny but windy day as I took my place again on the Roker end to watch what would be a typical 100mph typical Derby. (I hate Derby games) The game was level at 1-1 before Liam O Brien did it again with a brilliant free kick "over the wall" - cue bedlam in the Roker end. United would get beat 1-0 off Grimsby at home the following week.
Newcastle 7- 1 Leicester 1993
If my first game was my most memorable then this is my favourite ever game. United had gained promotion a week earlier versus Grimsby and confirmed the championship against Oxford so this game was a free hit, one to just enjoy. It was televised live on ITV and it was as close to a perfect performance as you will see. The ground was full hours before the game and we were entertained by Lindisfarne who performed on the building site that was the new Leazes stand that, like the team, was going up. United wore their new Asics kit for the first time and it looked mint. The first half was a whirlwind as we went 6-0 up, it was hard to believe it was actually happening, everything was right with the world. The second half would finish 1-1 as we ended the season with a well deserved 7-1 victory - Kelly and Cole scored a hat-trick each. During a stoppage in the game the Andy Cole song started for the first time, everyone in the crowd joined in, it was deafening, it was amazing just to be there so it must have been pretty amazing for him to be stood in the middle of the pitch experiencing it. After the game the players lifted the trophy, did a lap of honour and Keegan said "Watch out Manchester United we're coming for your title." We nearly did too.
Newcastle 3 - 0 Liverpool 1993
Growing up Liverpool seemed to win everything all the time so I was a bit nervous going into this game just because it was Liverpool. I shouldn't have worried, we were managed by King Kev and they had the awful Souness who gave an insight that into what watching one of his teams would be like and how it would never be his fault. United were brilliant that day and Liverpool couldn't bet near us as we Andy Cole scored a hat-trick of three almost identical goals. Watching the highlights back I'd forgotten how brilliant the passes were in the build up to the goals, we had some canny players, how good was Scott Sellare by the way! This was one of the games that made me believe we could really challenge the top clubs - if we wanted to.
Newcastle 0 - 4 Manyoo (Charity Shield) 1996
It may seem strange to pick a game where we were awful and got thumped 4-0 as one of my most memorable but when you think about how going to the match is about so much more than the football then it makes sense. It was my first trip to the Old Wembley and there was a good crowd of us going down together on the bus, we had stayed at a mates house the night before (trying to sleep on a pool table) ,Oasis were playing Knebworth that day and there was a load of mickey taking between the toon coaches on the way south and the music fans on their way there to the gig. The game itself was totally forgettable and as we left the stadium the heavens opened and we got absolutely soaked. We only had the clothes we were wearing on us and the bus back wasn't until the early hours of the morning so we had to amuse ourselves in London for the evening. So we did, it was my first trip down to the capital we were very young and we really made the most of it.
Newcastle 5 - 0 Manyoo 1996
I wasn't actually at the game - the only one Ive listed here that I didn't attend. I was at University at the time and can't remember why but wasn't able to get back for this. Many had beaten us to the title the season before after we were leading the league by 12 points (I still haven't recovered from that - this is where my negativity towards all things NUFC stems from) and they had thumped us 4-0 in then Charity child a couple of months earlier (see above) so again I wasn't expecting much from this game. I got in to watch the game in the TV room at Nicholson hall, I was the second one there and this lad who had got their first wasn't happy that I wanted to switch over - he was watching the clothes show - but as more and more people arrived he eventually gave in. It was mainly Many fans in there that day except for me and Geordie Nikki and a few people who just liked to see Manyoo get beat. We all know what happened next in the game and I can remember running laps of the room after Albert chipped in the fifth. Manyoo won the league that year as well.
Newcastle 3 - 2 Barcelona 1997
Newcastle beat Barcelona. Newcastle beat Barcelona. Its hard to believe now but it just shows you once again what this club is capable of ..if it wants to. Again there was a clash with an Oasis gig that night - they were playing Newcastle Arena and Liam Gallagher wore a Newcastle shirt, for some unknown reason a few of the lads I used to go to the match with went to watch the kings of dad rock instead of the mighty blank n whites? I'll never understand that. As we have never won anything in my lifetime I imagine this game is probably as close at it gets to that feeling. We went 3-0 up and the mad Tino Asprilla got a hat trick before Barcelona got a couple back to leave us with a nervy finish but we held on for a legendary 3-2 win. I bumped into a couple of the lads who went to the Oasis gig at the bus stop afterwards, it was good apparently. Hahahahahaha.
Newcastle 2 - 0 Sheff Utd 1998
Newcastle hadn't been on a cup run in the time I'd been going to matches so the excitement of an FA cup semi final at Old Trafford was something else. I went on the bus with the same lads that I went to the Charity shield with confident that another trip to Wembley would be on the way. I remember climbing the steps to the top of the main stand and started to get nervous - not because of the football but because I hate heights and this was very very high. I was actually scared to stand during the game but didn't want to look soft so joined in anyway, Shearer scored a goal to send us to the final and for much of the game after that the stand was literally bouncing. I was convinced we were going to win the cup that year, Im still waiting.
Derby 2 - 3 Newcastle 2002
Early 2000's were a good time to be an NUFC fan once the Robson era got going. I do often wonder what the club would have become if Robson had joined when Keegan had left, would we have actually won something? I was living in Chester at the time and the lads came down the night before for a night out before we drove over to Derby the following morning. We had a cracking night but at half time we were starting to wish we hadn't bothered with the match as we went 2-0 down and didn't look like we were going to get anything. It was a completely different team in the second half as we came back and won 3-2. We stopped over in Buxton that evening and did the Buxton pub crawl. A cracking weekend. Match report here
Newcastle 5 - 1 Sunderland 2010
I hate derby matches.I would much prefer it if we just didn't have to play Sunderland because even when you do win it is more of a relief rather than enjoyment. I don't think Ive ever totally enjoyed a derby game except for this one, it a game where everything just went right. 3-0 up at half time, Bramble then got sent off, Nolan scored a hat trick and Shola should have had one too, I was actually frustrated that we didn't score more than five. The Sunderland manager that day was Steve Bruce, whatever happened to him? It was also Halloween that day, we had been out since the midday kickoff so lets just say it was a good night too!
Its not often you see your team come back from 4-0 down and in the end we could have won it. I said to Tubby and Jobey at half time I was going to leave when the seventh goal went in. (At that time I had never left a game early in my life) I didn't realise that the seventh goal would see us come back to 4-3 before Tiote would level it 4-4. When that goal went in we all ended up about 10 rows in front of where we were sat. Thankfully we didn't leave and the buzz after the game was something special.
Newcastle 2 - 3 Liverpool
This may be a strange one to pick as we got beat and there were probably better games that season. I chose this though as before the game I had a feeling that I might not be back at St James for a long time, I knew in the back of my mind that Ashley wouldn't extend Rafas contract and if that was the case then that was me done with what has essentially become Sports Direct FC. So I went into the game really wanting to make the most of it and to savour the atmosphere. It was a Saturday night match and the atmosphere was lively to say the least, a win would see Liverpool maintain their slim hope of winning the title so lots of their fans had got tickets in the Newcastle end. (I dont have an issue with this actually and if in their position, I would have done the same - I just can't understand the vitriol directed at them by some NUFC fans who can't bring themselves to show the same vitriol against Mike Ashley when he turns up). St James' was at its noisiest, angry best that night, a massive flag was unveiled in the Gallowgate by Wor Flags before the game and it reminded me what football was actually all about. I was right and Ashley didn't extend Rafas contract so that was me done. (I have to admit I have been back once - I was helping someone out at the Manyoo game earlier in the season as they were organising a protest, that wasn't a bad game either.)
I look forward to the day I can go to St James Park, when Sports Direct FC is no more and Newcastle United gets its identity back and represents the city and community that supports it. I can't wait to get my back and white on, have a drink in the Bodega with the lads, sing "the Blaydon races" and "Howay the Lads". No doubt we'll get beat more than we'll win but I wouldn't swap it.
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