David Kelly has revealed how he was left totally gobsmacked by Wor Flags' impressive banner display that paid tribute to his vital goal against Portsmouth from the 1991/92 season.
Kelly's goal at the Gallowgate End effectively saved Newcastle United from relegation to the old Third Division and helped lay the foundations for a brighter future for the Entertainers. Kelly also weighed in with 29 goals to help take Newcastle to the Premier League a year later.
Fast forward to 2022, on 30th anniversary of the strike against Pompey, and Kelly says he was left stunned by the moment a flag was unfurled in his honour.
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Kelly told Chronicle Live: "It was a huge surprise. One of my pals Martin Henderson is based up there and I go to a couple of the away games with, we always get together and have a few beers.
"Martin knew about it - I didn't. Nobody told me. He was saying to me 20 minutes before kick off: 'Come on we need to get our seats'.
"And I was like I don't want to stare at an empty pitch for 20 minutes. He persuaded me to go out early and finish my beer! Just as they were unfurling the flag we took our seats, and when it first started I thought: 'Why are we here so early?'
"Then I spotted the Kelly part at the end of it and was totally taken aback. It was a massive surprise. I quickly realised why Martin had been playing the role of a secret agent all week."
The Kelly banner was captured by TV cameras and witnessed by the former striker's kids. Kelly reflected: "It was massively humbling it really was. The ironic part was my son Zak is a Newcastle fan and couldn't come up for the game because of prior commitments. Both of my kids were watching the game in separate places and they saw it. That made it even more special."
After witnessing what felt like another pivotal day in the club's history, Kelly was asked his verdict on Newcastle's current battle against the drop. Kelly said: "Safe and secure now. I want my other old club Leicester to beat Roma and get the Europa final.
"That would be fantastic. But it's important Newcastle stay in the Premier League. Leicester's season is Europe now."
And when quizzed whether the Bruno Guimaraes goal in the dying stages brought back any memories of the his late goal against Portsmouth, Kelly, who was controversially sold by Kevin Keegan in 1993, added: "If it was if you'd transported everything back 30 years. If Newcastle do anything it's always last minute!
"That's for sure. And it was a marvellous goal, Bruno is a super player and it was a fantastic diving header. I heard him saying he wants to go on and be a club legend and I really hope he does."
