A tribute to an unsung local lad who never let Newcastle United down | OneFootball

Wallsend born Steve Carney was a schoolboy footballer at West Bromwich Albion but ended up coming home to serve an apprenticeship as an electrician.

He joined North Shields in the Northern League and played alongside his older brother Rob in the mid-seventies, before moving on to Blyth Spartans.

In the 1977/78 season, Spartans captured the hearts of the country with a run to the fifth round of the FA Cup, before finally bowing out to Wrexham after a replay in front of a 40,000+ crowd at St James Park with thousands locked out.

Bill McGarry snapped up Blyth Spartans’ diminutive striker Alan Shoulder in the summer of 1978, then after the success of that deal, went back to the Northumberland club a year later and paid £1,000 for Steve Carney.

This turned out to be a shrewd piece of business as Steve, surprisingly, made the step-up with relative ease, quickly rubber-stamping his position in the team.

A naturally strong and uncompromising central defender, Steve Carney could also play in midfield.

After the arrival of Kevin Keegan in 1982, Steve Carney and Jeff Clarke were Newcastle’s first choice centre half pairing, and they complemented each other perfectly.

That was until Arthur Cox brought in the silky Glenn Roeder from QPR, Steve Carney finding that he had a fight on for his place.

Although it soon became apparent that Clarke and Roeder were Cox’s preferred pairing, Steve Carney’s versatility kept him close to the first team unit and he became an integral part of the promotion squad in 1983/84, alongside other local lads Kevin Carr, Wes Saunders, Kenny Wharton, Chris Waddle, Neil McDonald and Peter Beardsley.

When Newcastle played their first Division 1 game for six years at Filbert Street in August 1984, Steve Carney scored his only ever goal for the club in a 3-2 win.

After over 170 appearances Steve left Newcastle in 1985, signing for Darlington for £20,000. He also played for Hartlepool before finally hanging his boots up.

Although having a quiet demeanour, Steve always carried himself well and had a well known reputation as a man’s man. This was never more in evidence than in 2013, when Steve Carney was tragically diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His former team-mates rallied but poor Steve passed away within weeks, to the ultimate heartbreak of his family and friends. He was only 55.

Terry McDermott, John Anderson and Joe Allon, amongst others, left heartrending tributes, whilst his big mate Chris Waddle was a pall-bearer at the funeral.

Steve Carney did what every little Geordie lad dreams of doing, pulling on the famous black and white stripes at St James Park.

The fact that he did so after first cutting his teeth in non-league football, was a testimony to his character and whole-hearted nature.