A Newcastle United conundrum | OneFootball

Here is a Newcastle United conundrum that I was considering.

It may get a few of you deliberating on who you would choose.

Who are the best Newcastle United players to represent the four home nations and the Republic of Ireland?

Let’s do this from the 1970s onwards but don’t include any of the current NUFC squad.

I’ll name a few players who I think should be on each shortlist and then later decide my own eventual preferences.

You may have other ideas of course.

England up first; Malcolm Macdonald, Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley Rob Lee

Scotland; Bob Moncur Jimmy Smith Tommy Craig Matt Ritchie

Northern Ireland; David Craig Tommy Cassidy David McCreery Aaron Hughes

Wales; Gary Speed Craig Bellamy Alan Neilson Paul Dummett

Republic of Ireland; Mick Martin Liam O’Brien David Kelly Shay Given

England

All four of the England Internationals on my shortlist were excellent servants for Newcastle United but for me it is a toss up between Macdonald and Beardsley.

Although Pedro became a star during England’s 1986 World Cup campaign whilst a Newcastle player, Supermac still holds the individual scoring record for goals in one match (when he bagged all five in a European qualifier against Cyprus in 1975).

On that alone, I’m plumping for Malcolm.

Scotland

For Scotland, it has to be Moncur, who admirably captained both Newcastle and Scotland.

It should also not be overlooked that Jinky Smith was part of the Scots World Cup squad at Germany in 1974.

Northern Ireland

David Craig and Aaron Hughes were fine and reliable players for club and country, but this one is between two totally different types of players, who would both become heroes in Northern Ireland’s finest hour.

The veteran Tommy Cassidy came on as a substitute for Sammy McIlroy in the 1982 World Cup Finals against the hosts Spain. Tommy gallantly steadied the ship alongside McCreery in midfield, and Northern Ireland pulled off their most famous ever victory(0-1 at the Luiz Casanova Stadium in Valencia).

I’m going to go for Davie Mac who would later be named in the ‘FIFA All Star Select XI’ after the 82 World Cup was over.

(*It must be noted that Cassidy and McCreery weren’t at United whilst at the World Cup in Spain but were regularly capped whilst at Newcastle.)

Wales

When it comes to Newcastle and Wales it has got to be between Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy. Two fantastic players who played their hearts out for club and country.

I’ve got to go with the late great Gary because he was the consummate professional, and loved his spell at Newcastle.

Republic of Ireland

Liam O’Brien and David Kelly are two of my Toon heroes.

Kelly actually scored a hat-trick on his debut for the Republic against Israel in 1987, five years before he joined United.

At one time Mick ‘Zico’ Martin was Newcastle United’s most capped player.

But this one is a no-brainer. Shay Given represented the Republic on 134 occasions, with most of his caps coming whilst he was at Newcastle.

So my British Isles and Republic of Ireland, Newcastle United five a side team. lines up as follows;

Given, Moncur, McCreery, Speed, Macdonald.