Not bad compared to some who think they’re big clubs but really United should have done a lot better… | OneFootball

This season has seen Newcastle United finish in fifth place for a fourth time in the top flight, in the last half century.

United finished fifth in the old First Division in 1977, then also achieved a fifth spot in the EPL in 2012 under Alan Pardew of all people.

Since the formation of the Premier League before the 1992/93 season, Newcastle have finished in quite a few lofty and impressive positions in the division.

After gaining promotion in the 1992/93 season, Kevin Keegan’s entertaining side took the Premier League by storm and finished in a distinguished third position.

There was a slight drop off in 1994/95 and the Toon had to settle for sixth place.

Then came 1995/96 and it seemed like it might be our year, and KK let anyone who would care to listen know that the Toon were up for, looking to win the title.

We nearly bloody did too, but a mixture of extreme bad luck and disheartening losses to late goals in the final third of the season, ended up scuppering all our dreams.

So runners-up for United it was and would also be a year later at the end of the 1996/97 campaign.

It wouldn’t be until Sir Bobby Robson had built a new team that we would finish amongst the top clubs again.

In the 2001/02 season, United were top of the Premier League at Christmas, but finally had to settle for 4th place.

The team went one better a year later finishing 3rd, and in what was to be Sir Bobby’s last full season in 2004/05, the Toon finished 5th.

We all basically know what happened between 2007 and 2021 at our club, most of it is a stain on our history.

Eddie Howe has only been at Newcastle United for just over three and a half years, but in that time we have finished 4th and 5th (and 7th in his other full season), achieving Champions League football along the way.

So I make that eleven top six finishes in the last 48 years. Not bad compared to some others who think they’re big clubs, but really, United should have done a lot better.

That’s a canny chunk of my life I’ve just covered, but football-wise something that all you young-uns won’t become accustomed to.

That’s because ‘my/your/our’ club are going to be mainstays in the top six from now on. This club has finally taken off and these proper owners are determined to eventually make us the best.

Achieving a one-off good league position under the likes of Westwood and Ashley are now thankfully things of the past.