Newcastle United Football Club formed thanks to the merger of two clubs, Newcastle East End FC and Newcastle west End FC, in December 1892. One of the deals of the amalgamation was the lease on Newcastle West End’s stadium St James Park where the newly formed team would play their games and still do to this day.
Newcastle Were a Dominant Force in the League and FA Cup in the 1900s
Newcastle United became one of the dominant teams in the early 1900’s, winning the League Championship in 1905, 1907 and 1909. They also reached five FA Cup Finals in 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910 and 1911, but only managed to win one of these finals against Barnsley in a replay in 1910. It was another decade before Newcastle United won their second FA Cup by defeating Aston Villa at Wembley stadium in 1924.
Newcastle, also known as The Geordies or Magpies, had to wait to win their fourth League Championship too, not taking the title again until 1927.
Newcastle Enjoyed FA Cup Success Three Times During the 1950s
The pre and post Second World War era brought little joy for The Geordies and it was not until the 1950’s that trophy success was enjoyed again. Newcastle won the FA Cup on three occasions in five years starting with a 2-0 Cup Final defeat of Blackpool in 1951. The following year, 1952, Newcastle retained the trophy, this time beating Arsenal 1-0 in the final. Manchester City was then beaten 3-1 in the Cup Final of 1955, to round off an amazing five years for The Geordies in the competition.
With Newcastle enjoying Cup success, their League fortunes suffered dramatically and the club faced relegation to the Second Division in 1961. The Geordies appointed Joe Harvey as manager and he rebuilt the team, leading them to the Second Division Championship in 1965 and a return to the top tier of English football.
Newcastle qualified to enter European competition in 1969 and went on to win the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, now known as the UEFA Cup, by beating Hungarian side Ujpest in the Final over two legs.
Newcastle continued to make little impression on the League title in the 1970’s but did reach Wembley twice. Once in the FA Cup but were beaten by Liverpool in 1974, and once in the League Cup, but again suffered defeat to ManchesterCity in 1976.
Kevin Keegan Inspires an Ailing Team Both as Player and as Manager
In 1978, Newcastle suffered relegation again, but in 1982 then manager Arthur Cox persuaded Kevin Keegan to join the club and made him captain. He helped The Geordies return to the First Division with promotion in 1984. The club remained in the top flight until relegation again in 1989.
By 1992 Newcastle were under serious threat of relegation to the Third Division. Then Chairman Sir John Hall tempted Kevin Keegan out of retirement and appointed him as manager. Two wins like online casinos Ghana in their final two games kept Newcastle up and the following year, thanks to Hall’s investment, Keegan led Newcastle to promotion as champions.
By 1996, The Geordies were serious contenders for the Premiership title and paid a then record £15 million to secure the signature of striker Alan Shearer.
After finishing as Premiership runners-up in 1996 and 1997, Keegan resigned citing the pressures of the job for his decision. Kenny Dalglish replaced him,
Newcastle reached the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup finals, but suffered defeat on both occasions.
Former England manager Booby Robson became manager in 2001 and led Newcastle to a fourth place finish, qualifying the club for Champions League football for the first time. However, Robson faced the sack, controversially in 2004.
Michael Owen signed for Newcastle in 2006, but he and a succession of managers have failed to inspire Newcastle to trophy success. The wait for silverware continues to this day.
Since 1955 Magpies have had Several Managers Searching for Success
Newcastle United, a club who last won a domestic trophy in 1955 and whose last success was winning the Inter Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 are again looking for a manager to bring them the success they crave. In their search for a new manager, the directors and fans might reflect that several managers have failed to win a domestic trophy
Newcastle Win FA Cup in 1955
In 1955 the Magpies won the FA Cup with Doug Livingstone as manager in his first year in charge. However, the Directors who along with Stan Seymour had had control over team affairs since before the 2nd World War still wanted to have their say and Livingstone only remained as manager for another year.
Directors’ Interference
A directors’ Committee again took control but in 1958 Charlie Mitten became the new manager and he remained there for three years but struggled to overcome the continuing interference from the Directors. He was replaced in October, 1961 when the team failed to produce the expected results having been relegated from the ‘old’ 1st Division the previous summer.
Norman Smith, a long time servant of the club and formerly Seymour’s assistant took over until the end of that season.
Joe Harvey – longest serving Manager
In June, 1962 Joe Harvey became Newcastle United’s manager and was to become the longest serving manager in the history of the club. He held the post for thirteen years bringing the club from the 2nd Division as champions in 1964-65 and taking them to European success at the end of the decade.
Harvey had been captain of Newcastle’s successful team in the early 1950s and was highly respected at the club and throughout football. He turned the club around signing high profile players like Wyn Davies and Malcolm MacDonald and his team reached the FA Cup Final in 1974 but didn’t perform on the day, losing 3-0 to Liverpool. He left in 1975 having given the club almost forty years service as player and manager.
Gordon Lee was Harvey’s successor but he only survived thirty months. He sold fans’ hero MacDonald to Arsenal much to their annoyance and was replaced in January, 1977.
Richard Dinnis, a former school teacher and Lee’s assistant took over but was sacked the following November as the side fought against relegation.
The experienced Bill McGarry was next in line. A strict disciplinarian he failed to avoid relegation and was unable to lift the club from the 2nd Division and left in the summer of 1980.
Arthur Cox Signs Keegan
Arthur Cox became manager in 1980 and brought Kevin Keegan to Newcastle in 1982 which completely revitalised the club. Keegan, Peter Beardsley and Chris Waddle brought the club promotion as Champions in 1984 but sensationally Cox resigned that summer over a disagreement about his contract.
Future Managers:
Jack Charlton to August, 1985
Willie McFaul to October, 1988
Jim Smith to March, 1991 – relegated in 1988 – 89
Ossie Ardiles to February, 1992
Keegan Revitalised Newcastle United
Kevin Keegan to January, 1997 – appointed with the team struggling to avoid relegation from the 2nd Division, Keegan restored the club to the top flight the following year as Champions. Newcastle United under Keegan were transformed, never finishing out of the top six in the Premier League and were runners-up in1995 – 96. He also brought Alan Shearer to the club.
Kenny Dalglish to August, 1998 – Keegan resigned mid-season but the club still finished second in the league.
Ruud Gullit to August, 1999
Sir Bobby Robson
Sir Bobby Robson to August, 2004 – his team continued to impress in League, Cup and European competitions without actually winning any trophies.
Graeme Souness to February, 2006
Glenn Roeder to May, 2007
Sam Allardyce to January, 2008 – the club’s shortest serving manager was sacked over his style of play which was not to the liking of players, fans and directors.
