South Africa to New Zealand to Australia – My lifetime Newcastle United dream finally fulfilled… | OneFootball

It was early 1980s in Durban, South Africa and all my neighbourhood friends were older than me.

They were Liverpool supporters and naturally as the youngest in the group, I blindly followed their example.

However, early 1982, I turned 10 and started getting some rebellious feelings brewing inside me.

Following the team in red didn’t feel right and after all, my beloved local rugby team Natal, now the Sharks, was a team playing in black and white.

I checked my English Football League charts one Sunday morning after updating the results and the log standings. I did this religiously after every weekend and found that Grimsby Town, Notts County, Port Vale and Newcastle all had black and white cards with some basic club history on them.

It was a tough choice, as Notts County was in the first division (top tier) back then. However, I was drawn towards a team called Newcastle United, because we had a Newcastle town just two hours from where we stayed.

It sort of made sense at the time, making such a life altering decision at the age of 10 to change my allegiance to Newcastle United. They played at a ground called St James’ Park, which sounded so beautiful to me!

I had made my decision, walked straight to my room’s door and took down my “This is Anfield” sign.

I announced my change of football team, much to the disgust of all my friends. They couldn’t understand how I could give up such a successful club as Liverpool. At a point with three months of the season left, with them destined to win the title yet again that 1981/82 season, finishing four points clear or runners-up Ipswich.

I was breaking the trend with the entire neighbourhood who supported the same (very successful!) team and now I’m supporting a team not even in the First Division…

However, I was loving the attention I was getting from everyone.

I was super proud of my decision and I had another black and white team to support.

I absolutely fell in love with Newcastle United that day!

This changed my personal landscape for supporting teams, as today many of my team choices in sports across the world are based on the black and white strip and being called the Magpies.

The following years were eventful to say the least.

Promotion a couple of years after I started supporting The Magpies in 1984 vindicated my decision and eased a lot of the pressure I was receiving.

It was the start of my roller-coaster experience of life with Newcastle United from afar.

It could never be classified as great years in terms of results but the element of pride to support this team we call United was always something special to me. My loyalty was never in doubt from that point over 42 years ago, I managed to convert my entire family to support Newcastle United. This was my team and I always dreamed the glory years were just around the corner.

Relegation quickly came around and another five seasons in the second tier, before the Entertainers came along and changed the football landscape at the time.

What an era that was and finally I could return the favour to all those in my neighbourhood end enjoy some European football nights.

The relegation in 2009 personally hurt the most and I took lot of abuse that season. Converting back to Liverpool was continuously thrown at me and to show my loyalty, I got the NUFC club crest tattooed on my shoulder blade area.

The one thing that has always eluded me all my life was watching my football team play in person. I’ve never earned enough money to make that a reality, but I unexpectedly got some wonderful news early April, when Newcastle United announced they will be touring in Melbourne in May.

Now living in New Zealand, that is only a short trip across the Tasman and my lifelong (Man United supporting) friend in Melbourne has sourced tickets to both games for us.

That night I broke down in tears when he sent me my tickets to watch my beloved Newcastle United.

The feeling of realising a lifelong dream after over 40 years, the pride and excitement at the thought of at last attending a Newcastle match in person, was rather overwhelming.

It might not be the complete first team on display but that doesn’t matter.

It is Eddie Howe’s Newcastle playing and it doesn’t matter who the 11 players on the field are, it’s my team out there and I’m there to watch and support my team.

Finally, I don’t have to sing “Who’s That Team We Call United?”, “EIEIEIO Up the Premier League We Go” and “Eddie Howe’s Black and White Army” to myself in the lounge, or to my youngest daughter.

I’m going to watch NUFC play and after 42 years of following the greatest football club in the world, I will for the first time get to watch my Newcastle United!