When David Kelly scored a desperate late winner for Newcastle United on April 25, 1992, such was the frenzied leaping about among the 26,000 crowd that many on the then-terraced Gallowgate End found themselves yards from where they’d been standing only moments earlier.
Thirty years ago today, the striker's solitary goal against Portsmouth was one of the most wildly celebrated at St James’ Park in decades. To put the game and goal into perspective, this was an era as dark and ominous as any in the club’s history.
In Newcastle United’s centenary year, they were third bottom of the old second division and in real danger of dropping into the third for the first time - and subsequently going bust. In the penultimate game of a wretched campaign, the priceless goal by Kelly effectively saved United from footballing oblivion. (There was an unlikely last-gasp win at high-flying Leicester Coty the following week, but other results on a nerve-shredding last day of the season meant Kevin Keegan's team would have been safe from the drop anyway).
