Royal Antwerp 0 Newcastle United 5 – Exactly 28 years ago today…what a trip back into Europe! | OneFootball

13 September 1994 – Royal Antwerp 0 Newcastle United 5

After a gap of 17 years, Newcastle United were back in Europe.

Now this Kevin Keegan match is exactly 28 years ago, where does the time go…?

After promotion in the 1992/93 season, Keegan’s team took the Premier League by storm.

With Cole and Beardsley scoring for fun, Newcastle ended up third in the top tier, rather than Champions League football, back then it meant UEFA Cup.

Not that it seemed to matter to Newcastle fans, a European adventure to Belgium was the icing on the cake under Kevin Keegan.

The 1994/95 season actually kicked off with six Premier League wins in a row for Newcastle United, five of them before heading to Belgium.

Despite the level Newcastle had been playing at under KK, a lot of wise people were warning that European football was different, had to keep it tight. A draw or even a single goal defeat wouldn’t be too bad in the away leg.

Hmmm, inside a minute Rob Lee had put United ahead, inside nine minutes he had made it 2-0, Scott Sellars made it 3-0 before half-time.

Rob Lee got his hat-trick (all headers!) in the 50th minute, then Steve Watson ended the scoring with 12 minutes remaining.

The team

Pavel Srnicek

Philippe Albert

Marc Hottiger

Barry Venison

Darren Peacock

John Beresford

Ruel Fox

Rob Lee

Scott Sellars

Peter Beardsley

Andy Cole

Substitutions:

Steve Watson for Peter Beardsley

Mike Jeffrey for Andy Cole