Newcastle United are back at Wembley.
On Sunday the Magpies face Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final - a game which has sparked huge excitement on Tyneside and has fans dreaming of a first major trophy at St James' Park since 1969.
United’s record at the national stadium is as black and white as the strips they wear. The Magpies at one time were, technically speaking, unbeaten at Wembley for 50 years. On the other hand, they haven’t won a major fixture there for approaching 68 years.
As they prepare to step out for the club's biggest game in nearly quarter of a century, we recall Newcastle United’s visits to the world-famous football venue.
1. April 26, 1924: FA Cup final
The Toon’s first visit to the Twin Towers, a year after it opened and a year after the infamous ‘white horse final’. On a rainy day in West London, goals from Neil Harris and Stan Seymour earned United a 2-0 win over Aston Villa - and their second FA Cup. United would find Wembley much more to their liking than the old FA Cup final venue, Crystal Palace - for a while anyway.
2. April 22, 1932: FA Cup final
A 2-1 win over Arsenal, but a game steeped in controversy. Jack Allen scored both goals for the black and whites, although newsreel footage from the time shows the ball appearing to go out of play just before United’s equaliser. Away from the action, the Chronicle reported on the admirable “Mr R T Hunter, a workless Hebburn man with a wife and six children, who walked ten days and two nights, determined to be the first to arrive in London for the Cup Final”.
3. April 28, 1951: FA Cup final
World War II had come and gone by the time captain Joe Harvey lifted the trophy that sent Tyneside into delirium. Jackie Milburn netted twice against Stanley Matthews’ Blackpool in a 2-0 victory. It would signal the beginning of a golden FA Cup era for United.
4. May 3, 1952: FA Cup final
A year later, the Magpies were back to defend their trophy against Arsenal. And it was Chilean hotshot George Robledo who headed home the only goal of a hard-fought contest. The Chronicle reported afterwards: “London town belonged to Tyneside for the second year running. Every Geordie supporter who made his way through the great crowds of the West End knew that the most fabulous club of modern times had made history.”
4. May 7, 1955: FA Cup final
Manchester City were the opponents as goals from Jackie Milburn, Bobby Mitchell and George Hannah handed the Toon a 3-1 win. We reported: “The game was fast. ‘Blaydon Races’ from 50,000 throats time and again drowned the counter cheers of the Manchester City contingents. For thousands it was their third Wembley final since 1950 – and for most, this game was the best of the three.”
5. May 5, 1974: FA Cup final
The FA Cup was still much-prized when Supermac, Terry Hibbitt and co roared to Wembley 49 years ago. Thousands headed to the Twin Towers while, back home, Tyneside came to a standstill on the day of the game. United never turned up on the day as Liverpool and Kevin Keegan ran riot, winning 3-0. It was Newcastle’s first defeat at Wembley and a dark day in the club’s history.
6. February 28, 1976: League Cup final
Two years after the Liverpool debacle, United had the opportunity to quickly rectify matters in their first League Cup final. Manchester City provided the opposition. Alan Gowling equalised Peter Barnes’ opener on 35 minutes, giving the Magpies hope. But, just after half-time, City’s Newcastle-born former Sunderland winger Dennis Tueart won the game with a spectacular overhead kick. Back on Tyneside two days later, thousands of fans lined the streets of Newcastle - as they had done two years earlier - to welcome home their heroes who made their way from the Central Station to St James’ Park on an open-topped double-decker bus. Once again the reception was rapturous, but once again the team had returned home without a trophy.
7. April 16, 1988: Football League Centenary Tournament
This largely forgotten two-day invitation tournament - also known as Mercantile Credit Football Festival - to celebrate 100 years of the Football League doesn’t really count. At a poorly attended stadium, United drew 0-0 with Liverpool in a 40-minute match before winning on penalties. Later, on the same day, they bowed out, in the second round, losing 2-0 to Tranmere Rovers. A minor footnote in the Newcastle United record books.
8. August 11, 1996: FA Charity Shield
Manchester United had just won the league and cup double - the former at Newcastle’s painful expense. The Magpies were invited to take part in the 1996-97 season opener. Fielding new £15m world-record signing Alan Shearer, the Toon failed to show on the day once again. Manchester United - who Shearer had turned down to join his home-town club - ran out easy 4-0 winners with Cantona, Butt, Beckham and Keane doing the damage. Oh, and it rained heavily on the way out!
9. May 16, 1998: FA Cup final
On a fabulously sunny day in the capital, United went looking for their first FA Cup win in 43 years. Against Arsene Wenger’s Premier League winners, the Toon would always find Arsenal a tough nut to crack. Goals from Mark Overmars and Nicolas Anelka either side of half-time earned the Gunners the win as Kenny Dalglish’s team huffed and puffed but created little.
10. May 22, 1999: FA Cup final
Incredibly, the Magpies were back again 12 months later - but their task was no easier. Against league champions Manchester United, the Toon were again up against it. Goals from Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes undid Ruud Gullit’s team. Four days later, the Red Devils wrapped up a brilliant treble, winning the Champions’ League final against Bayern Munich in Barcelona.
11. April 9, 2000: FA Cup semi-final
Chelsea were in the opposite corner and for the first time since 1976, United could celebrate a goal at Wembley. The Chronicle reported: “It all gloriously clicked into place in the 66th minute when Alan Shearer supplied a beautiful ball for Robert Lee - who gave it the finish it deserved as he headed home and sent thousands in the black-and white-clad horde into raptures of delight.” It was a goal which gave the Magpies parity. But six minutes later, a certain Gus Poyet ruined Newcastle United’s dreams with the winning goal. Had they won that day, they would have faced a beatable Aston Villa team in the final.
12 & 13. May 9, 2018 and February 2, 2019. Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League
Between 2017 and 2019, Tottenham Hotspur played their home matches at Wembley Stadium after the club moved out of their old White Hart Lane ground in north London, and while their new purpose-built stadium was being completed. Newcastle United faced Spurs twice in Premier League games at Wembley, which had been totally rebuilt since their last visit in 1999. Rafa Benitez's team lost 1-0 on both occasions to a Spurs XI each time featuring future Toon captain Kieran Trippier.
It's been a long time. Every single person of a black and white persuasion will hope and pray that Newcastle United can buck their long, unwanted losing trend at Wembley in Sunday's Carabao Cup final. Howay the Lads!
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