My top twenty Newcastle United memories at St James’ Park | OneFootball

Memories of Newcastle United moments at St James’ Park.

The most memorable.

What got me started on this was an article on The Mag on Sunday morning.

That article reporting ex-NUFC defender John Anderson picking his five most memorable moments at St James’ Park.

BBC Radio Newcastle had restricted him to just the five, which seemed a ridiculously low number to me.

All those years, picking out five is impossible.

I could have gone a hundred or more easily but instead I have restricted myself to twenty biggest memories of Newcastle United matches at St James’ Park, during my time going to SJP. I have also made it so they are all before Eddie Howe took over, so maybe I will do another article with Eddie’s top 20!

Anyway, here are my 20, in no particular order, apart from the very top one.

Top memory

My top memory is actually a match where I have no idea of who we were playing, nor do I have a clue what the score was.

It was my first ever game at St James’ Park in the early 1970s and I just found the whole experience incredible, hooked ever since. We stood in the paddock in front of the West (Milburn) Stand and I was plonked down at the front next to the pitch so I could see, I was maybe six or seven.

Other fans can recite every detail of the first match they went to and I am always dubious. I reckon in most cases it is when they are older and their dad or whoever who took them, then tells them which game it was and who scored etc.

Leazes End

For those who go on about the Gallowgate End as the famous/superior one, clearly they never ever went in the Leazes End back in the day. Certainly in my lifetime supporting NUFC, the Gallowgate End only became a thing when the old Leazes came down in the late 1970s.

When that huge terracing with the roof was dismantled, a little bit of me went with it.

Again, I can’t remember who we played that day or what the score was, but my first time in that old Leazes End with my mates in the 1970s was 50% exhilaration and 50% terror.

Kevin Keegan debut against QPR in 1982

This was incredible. The England captain had signed for Newcastle United in the second tier and with who knows how many thousands locked out, he scored the only goal of the game.

Newcastle 3 Barcelona 2 in 19997

Tino hat-trick and Gillespie playing the match of his life.

David Kelly goal v Portsmouth in 1992

The biggest goal in Newcastle United modern history? For sure I think this goal prevented us dropping into the third tier.

Newcastle 5 Man U 0 in 1997

The perfect performance and Albert’s chip to top it off.

Alan Shearer testimonial in 2006

The game was shocking, as all testimonials/friendlies are. Total waste of time. However, the atmosphere before this kicked off, was just another level.

Newcastle v West Ham in 1980

Things you never thought you’d see at a football match. Watching from the Gallowgate when this ball of flame was thrown into the West Ham section from the East Stand paddock. You couldn’t believe your eyes.

Newcastle 5 Sunderland 1

Kevin Nolan hat-trick and a couple from Shola!

Newcastle 5 Man City 0 in 1983

United won promotion this season and Man City were big rivals, Beardsley got a hat-trick, KK and Waddle the other goals as they tore them apart.

Newcastle 3 Brighton 1 in 1984

Peter Beardsley chipping Joe Corrigan.

Newcastle 3 Sunderland 1 in 1980

On New Year’s Day, Tommy Cassidy scoring a volley from way out, might have been the first derby win I ever saw, probably was.

Newcastle 3 Sunderland 1 in 1985

Another on New Year’s Day, this time a Beardsley hat-trick and the Mackems had two sent off.

Newcastle 5 Forest 0 in 1997

Against the odds, all other results went our way and this last day of the season Newcastle became the first English club to qualify for the Champions League without finishing top of the table. As we all celebrated inside SJP, we also found out over the tannoy that both Sunderland and Middlesbrough had been relegated as well.

Newcastle 6 Villa 0 in 2010

The Villa weirdos had embarrassed themselves when Newcastle were relegated in May 2009 and fate delivered them at SJP in our first home game after promotion. A class day and Andy Carroll got a hat-trick.

Issue 250 – 11 September 2010

Newcastle 1 Sunderland 4 in 1979

I suppose when talking about biggest memories, you have to throw in the odd terrible one. I know that I have referenced a lot of derby matches and when it comes to memories, this is a big one that sticks out. The first time I ever saw Newcastle lose a derby.

Newcastle 0 Villa 0 in 2007

This was the first home game of the Mike Ashley era and I can recall the optimism of this time, a self-made British billionaire had taken over Newcastle United. What could possibly go wrong?

Newcastle 2 Tottenham 2 in 1988

Gazza had been sold to Spurs that summer and first home match of the next season was…Spurs. Gazza getting pelted with Mars Bars when he was taking corners at the Gallowgate ‘Corner’, absolutely bizarre.

Newcastle 0 Sunderland 2 in 1990

This one is a horrible memory. We finished third in the season and the Mackems sixth, yet we lost this play-off AND fluked their way to the top tier when Swindon got done.

Newcastle 3 Bristol City 0 in 1992

This is where it all started, Kevin Keegan returning as manager and things would never be the same again.