Newcastle United is one of the most supported English football clubs since its formation in 1892. Just like every other big team who at one point have had ups and downs, the Magpies have also had theirs and still growing stronger despite their challenges.
Despite the club’s challenges over the years, it goes without saying that it’s one of England’s biggest clubs with historical value. They’ve competed in Europe and won league titles, as well as hosted some of the greatest players in the history of football.
St. James’ Park” has been the home ground of Newcastle United since 1892 with a sitting capacity of 52,305 seats. They are England’s ninth most successful club of all time, winning four league titles, six FA Cups and a FA Charity Shield, as well as the 1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup, the ninth highest total of trophies won by an English club.
The club’s most successful period was between 1904 and 1910, when they won an FA Cup and three of their League titles. The club has played in 88 English Premier League seasons as of 2021. They have never been relegated from the second tier of English football since joining the Football League in 1893.
While the Magpies were once competing at the pinnacle of English football in the 1990s and early 2000s, boasting of some of the finest players in the league at the time. The question now is who are those Newcastle United’s players that stands tall as the greatest of all time in the history of the club?
Here Are 10 Of The Best Newcastle United Players Of All Time
Bobby Moncur
Moncur was the last Newcastle United captain to lift a major trophy for the club when they won the UEFA Inter Cities Fairs Cup in 1969.
It’s was the Magpie’s first-ever foray into European football as at then, and the great Moncur play a pivotal role that year having finished 10th in the league prior to the season they won the title.
During his superbly fourteen years career captaining Newcastle and Scotland, he marshalled the Magpies backline with aplomb and grit with over 450 appearances to his name.
To know how respected and popular he was at Newcastle United, he was inducted into their Hall of Fame and notably as a club ambassador which further gives credence to his legendary status.
Nolberto Solano
Quite a number of South American players have made an impact at Newcastle United, beginning in the 1950s with Ted and George Robledo, Anglo-Chileans who played in the FA Cup-winning teams as such Faustino Asprilla and Fabricio Coloccini.
However, non of the above names can be said to be as renowned as ‘Nobby’ at St Jame’s Park, having played 230 games during his two spells at Newcastle and scoring 37 goals.
Solano was just unfortunate not to win a title for the Magpies having reached the 1999 FA Cup final and painfully lost 2-0 to Manchester United, which almost dented his legendary status at the club but then he’s still regarded as a cult hero in the northeast.
Shay Given
Given is arguably the greatest goalkeeper ever in the history of Newcastle, spending 13 years between 1997 and 2009 before going to join Manchester City in the twilight of his career.
Although the Magpies have been blessed with quite a number of brilliant goalies, with the sheer brilliance and confidence the Irish oozes in between the stick, no doubt Shay was just something else.
Despite being short in stature, he was no doubt one of the best shot-stoppers in the division back then with incredible saves that stands him out amongst his colleagues.
Throughout his stay at the St Jame’s Park, his legendary status at the club was never for once in doubt having served the Toons painstakingly for 13 years with 463 appearances.
READ ALSO | 5 Of The Best Football Surgeons
Peter Beardsley
Beardsley is no doubt what Frank Lampard was for Chelsea in terms of the goals scored as a midfielder for the Magpies, scoring 117 goals in 321 games for the club during his two stints.
As a midfielder, he always gives his all for the team considering how crucial his position was for the team, and throughout his stint, he rarely disappoints the Toon fans.
Though Beardsley never won a trophy for Newcastle, he was among the team that went close to shocking the world in the 1995-96 season when Manchester United famously pipped them to the title having played a commendable football style the fans would hope to see again and again.
Andy Cole
If you look past the controversial Hughie Gallacher, the modest Jackie Milburn, the explosive Alan Shearer and the bullish Les Ferdinand, you’ll find Andy Cole among Newcastle United’s great for his goal-poacher instinct.
Cole had virtually everything you would want in a striker and as a matter of fact, he was a prolific goal-scorer for the Toon Army during his stint with the Tyneside outfit.
To say Cole was brilliant for Newcastle is an understatement because he did tick all boxes for the club scoring 68 goals in 84 appearances, and as such he will be remembered for his role in heading the Magpies secured promotion to the Premier League scoring 12 goals in 12 games.
Les Ferdinand
1995-96 PFA Player of the Year Les Ferdinand will forever be remembered for his accomplice role, partnering upfront alongside Alan Shearer to torment defenders in the Premier League with their abilities to score goals.
Ferdinand was a strong and intelligent striker that took the division by storm with his brilliant techniques and ability to conjure something out of nothing which led to Sir Alex Ferguson wanting to bring him to Old Trafford by all means.
Though he couldn’t sign for the Red Devils, however, his time at Newcastle United was one of the most fruitful of his football career scoring 50 goals in 84 appearances.
Perhaps, if he had stayed longer at the club he could have scored more goals and probably won the Toon Army a title, albeit, he’s no doubt a club legend.
Kevin Keegan
Despite only playing for Newcastle United for just two seasons, Keegan is referred to as a cult hero and fan favourite at the club having scored 48 goals in 78 appearances.
Keegan didn’t only win himself a legendary status as a player, he also did as a coach when he led the great entertainers to second in the Premier League behind Manchester United.
Being included in this list says a lot about how important Keegan was for the Magpies as a player and manager, even though he couldn’t win a title for the Tyneside while playing for them.
Jackie Milburn
The late Milburn name may not be a familiar name to most outside of England, but his name is one of the most respected and hold in higher esteem in the northeast club.
He was one of Newcastle’s most talented and modest strikers the game ever seen graced the Tyneside pitch with an impressive goal record of 238 in 492 appearances in all competitions.
Milburn was a versatile forward who can play as an inside forward, a spearheading centre forward and a winger having shown during his days that he can play on the flank with effectiveness.
Milburn wasn’t only renowned for winning back to back FA Cups in 1951-1952 and a third in 1955 for the Magpies, he also won his way into the heart of fans by showing him love, support, and chanting his name anytime he surged past defenders with his incredible pace like a wave.
READ ALSO | 10 Of The Greatest Attacking Trios Of All Time
Hughie Gallacher
Before the goalscoring era of Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer during the 20th century, Newcastle United was blessed with the most prolific goal-poacher in English football who came from Scotland to make the northeast his second home.
Gallacher, though was a man that is entire life is full of controversy but in the eyes of the fans, he could do no wrong due to how often he turned up with breathtaking performances for the Magpies.
His hat-tricks against Everton, Tottenham and a brace in the final home game of the 1926-27 season won Newcastle United the league which he will forever be remembered for how he singlehandedly conjured his goalscoring magic to win the Magpies the title for a feat they’re still trying to replicate.
Alan Shearer
An all-time Premier League great is definitely not enough sentence to eulogize the great Alan Shearer.
However, at least for now, no Newcastle striker could be said to be better and bigger than the icon himself, in terms of what he achieved on an individual level for the Magpies.
The fox in front of goal is well known for holding a solitary hand aloft in celebration when he scored, and as far as the Tyneside outfit history is concerned, the name of Alan Shearer will forever remain iconic.
He may be among football greats that never won a title for their beloved club, but he’s always going to be an iconic figure who scored 260 Premier League goals in 441 appearances cementing his status as a true legend.
