Name

Bill McCracken

Born

Belfast, 20 January 1883

Died

Hull, 20 January 1979

Height

5 foot 11

Weight

13 stone, 4 pounds

Toon Years

1904-1923

Position

Defender

International Record

15 Ireland caps, 1 goal

About Him

Bill was either loved or loathed. As a defender who perfected the offside trap, the Irishman was a notorious figure who was hated by many opposition fans but adored by the Newcastle faithful. Bill arrived at the club in 1904 and made 377 league appearances over the next 19 years. He won the last of 15 caps in 1923, aged 40 and was a scout for many years up to his death in 1979.

Name

Hughie Gallacher

Born

Bellshill, Scotland, 2 February 1903

Died

Gateshead, 11 June 1957

Height

5 foot 5

Weight

10 stone

Toon Years

1925-1930

Position

Forward

International Record

20 Scotland caps, 23 goals

About Him

Wee Hughie is considered by many to be the greatest of all Newcastle centre forwards. One of the stars of the 1927 Championship winning team, when he scored a record 36 goals in 38 matches, Hughie had incredible ball control and for a small man scored a surprising number of goals with his head. Sadly, Hughie never coped with all the fame, and committed suicide in 1957 aged just 54.

Name

Jackie Milburn

Born

Ashington, Northumberland, 11 May 1924

Died

Ashington, Northumberland, 9 October 1988

Height

5 foot 11

Weight

11 stone, 4 pounds

Toon Years

1943-1957

Position

Forward

International Record

13 England caps, 10 goals

About Him

Wor Jackie as he was known to one and all on Tyneside was probably the most famous layer in Newcastle history. His 177 goals in 353 League games owed more to tremendous acceleration and a natural eye than to the muscular physique often associated with centre forwards. Four of Jackies cousins also played League football, while a fifth, Cissie, was the mother of Bobby and Jack Charlton.

Name

Joe Harvey

Born

Edlington, Doncaster, 11 June 1918

Died

Newcastle, 24 February 1989

Height

6 foot

Weight

14 stone

Toon Years

1945-1955

Manager

1962-1975

Position

Defender

About Him

Regarded by many Magpie fans as Mr Newcastle, Joe made 224 League appearances for the club as a tough tackling defender before becoming manager in 1962. He remained in charge for 13 years, during which time he guided Newcastle to their only European win, the Fairs Cup Final in 1974, a trophy he had won twice as a player.

Name

Frank Brennan

Born

Annathill, Coatbridge, 23 April 1924

Died

Newcastle, 5 March 1997

Height

6 foot 3

Weight

13 stone, 9 pounds

Toon Years

1946-1956

Position

Defender

International Record

7 Scottish caps

About Him

Known as the Rock of Tyneside, Frank was a towering centre half who endeared himself to the St. James Park faithful with his no nonsense style of play. He joined United in May 1946 for £7500 and was at the heart of the defence as they won the FA Cup in 1951 and 1952. Upon retirement Frank travelled the world in his capacity as a football coach for the British Council.

Name

Alf McMichael

Born

Belfast, 1 October 1927

Height

5 foot 8

Weight

11 stone, 2 pounds

Toon Years

1949-1963

Position

Defender

International Record

40 Northern Ireland caps

About Him

The great Sir Stanley Mathews paid Alf the highest compliment when he said the Irishman was one of the best left backs I have ever played against. Alf arrived at St. James Park in 1949 and was a mainstay of the side for the next 14 seasons. As well as long service to the Magpies, he is also the clubs most capped international, having won 40 caps for Northern Ireland during the 1950s.

Name

Bobby Mitchell

Born

Glasgow, 16 August 1924

Died

Newcastle, 8 April 1993

Height

5 foot 11

Weight

12 stone

Toon Years

1949-1961

Position

Forward

International Record

2 Scotland caps, 1 goal

About Him

Bobby won 3 FA Cup winners medals during his time at Newcastle, earning himself the nickname Bobby Dazzler. Bought from Scottish side Third Lanark in 1949 for a record fee of £17000, the tall and lean winger went on to score over 100 goals for the Magpies in a 13-year spell. Even though Bobby scored on his international debut, against Denmark in 1951, he only won 1 other cap.

Name

George Robledo

Born

Iquique, Chile, 14 April 1926

Died

Vina Del Mar, Chile, 1 April 1989

Height

5 foot 9

Weight

11 stone, 5 pounds

Toon Years

1949-1953

Position

Forward

International Record

34 Chile caps

About Him

George arrived in England with his family after the Chilean revolution in 1932. Plucked from the Yorkshire mines by Barnsley, George netted a hat trick on his Football League debut. When he arrived at Newcastle in 1949, George teamed up with Jackie Milburn and in 1951-1952 scored 39 goals including the winner in the FA Cup Final to equal Hughie Gallachers record for the most goals in a season.

Name

Ronnie Simpson

Born

Glasgow, 11 October 1930

Height

5 foot 10

Weight

13 stone, 3 pounds

Toon Years

1951-1960

Position

Goalkeeper

International Record

5 Scotland caps

About Him

Ronnie made his debut in professional football in 1945 at the age of 14, but didnt win his first cap for another 22 years. In between, he had nine very successful years at Newcastle including FA Cup wins in 1952 and 1955. Only 5 foot 10 in height, Ronnie had amazing reflexes and his longevity enabled him to move to Celtic in 1960, where he made over 180 appearances.

Name

Len White

Born

Skellow, Doncaster, 23 March 1930

Died

Huddersfield, 17 June 1994

Height

5 foot 7

Weight

10 stone, 4 pounds

Toon Years

1953-1962

Position

Forward

About Him

Len took on the role of filling Jackie Milburns boots when the great man departed in 1957. Bought from Rotherham United in 1953, Len is considered the finest Magpies forward never to have played for his country. In his first full season in the number 9 shirt, he scored 25 goals, and by the time Len moved on to Huddersfield Town in 1962, he had netted 153 goals for Newcastle in only 270 appearances.

Name

David Craig

Born

Comber, Northern Ireland, 8 June 1944

Height

5 foot 10

Weight

12 stone, 5 pounds

Toon Years

1960-1978

Position

Defender

International Record

25 Northern Ireland caps

About Him

David worked his way into Newcastles senior side having started life at St. James Park as a 16-year-old apprentice. Solid in both his play and his temperament, David is one of only seven Magpies players to have made over 400 League and Cup appearances for the club. Although injury ruled him out of Newcastles appearance in the 1974 FA Cup Final, David managed to pick up 25 international caps.

Name

Bob Moncur

Born

Perth, Scotland, 19 January 1945

Height

5 foot 10

Weight

11 stone 2 pounds

Toon Years

1960-1974

Position

Defender

International Record

16 Scotland caps

About Him

Bobby was a tough tackling wing half and an inspiring captain for both Newcastle and Scotland who joined the club as an apprentice in 1960 aged only 15. Despite winning 16 caps for his country, Bobbys finest hour came during the two-leg Fairs Cup triumph in 1969, when he scored three goals to help Newcastle beat Hungarian side Ujpest Dozsa and win their first and so far only European trophy.

Name

Frank Clark

Born

Highfield, Gateshead, 9 September 1943.

Height

6 foot

Weight

12 stone

Toon Years

1962-1975

Position

Defender

About Him

Frank won an Amateur Cup Final medal with Crook Town an ended his career winning a European Cup-winners medal with Nottingham Forest. In between, he made nearly 400 League appearances for Newcastle and along with David Craig, was the backbone of the Magpies defence during the late 1960s and early 1970s. On retirement, he went into management, first with Orient, then Forest.

Name

Wyn Davies

Born

Caernafon, Wales, 20 March 1942

Height

6 foot 1

Weight

12 stone

Toon Years

1966-1971

Position

Forward

International Record

34 Welsh caps, 7 goals

About Him

Wyn became a cult hero during his time at Newcastle and came to be known as Wyn the Leap on account of his amazing ability to score goals with his head. Braze and tough, he was often the target of defenders determined to stop him at any cost. Although he scored a relatively modest 40 goals in 181 League matches, Wyns presence gave his teammates a lift while striking fear into opponents.

Name

Malcolm Macdonald

Born

London, 7 January 1950

Height

5 foot 11

Weight

12 stone

Toon Years

1971-1976

Position

Forward

International Record

14 England caps, 6 goals

About Him

Supermac was a cult hero wherever he went during his playing career. With his cocky, devil-may-care attitude, Malcolm endeared himself to the fans. Fairly stocky in stature but quick and strong, Malcolm blasted his way into the Newcastle Hall of Fame with 138 goals in 258 appearances, most coming form his explosive left foot. Supermac scored six goals for England, five against Cyprus.

Name

Paul Gascoigne

Born

Dunston, Gateshead, 27 May 1967

Height

5 foot 11

Weight

11 stone

Toon Years

1980-1988

Position

Midfield

International Record

51 England caps, 9 goals

About Him

Paul is one of the worlds most gifted footballers but it was at St James Park that he learned his trade. In 1985 he captained the junior side to the FA Youth Cup, scoring two goals in the final against Watford. The same year Paul made his debut for the senior side and he was a regular for the next three years until signed by Tottenham Hotspur for a Newcastle club record of £2.65 million in July 1988.

Name

Chris Waddle

Born

Gateshead, 14 December 1960

Height

6 foot

Weight

11 stone, 4 pounds

Toon Years

1980-1985

Position

Forward

International Record

62 England caps, 6 goals

About Him

Chris started his football career with Newcastle way back in 1980, signed for a mere £1000 from Tow Law Town. He made his debut that October against Shrewsbury and played 170 League games, scoring 46 goals and helping the club climb back into Division 1 in 1984 after 6 years in the second division. Also staring in that promotion-winning side was Kevin Keegan and Peter Beardsley.

Name

Kevin Keegan

Born

Armthorpe, Yorkshire, 14 February 1951

Height

5 foot 8

Weight

11 stone

Toon Years

1982-1984

Manager

1992-1997

Position

Forward

International Record

63 England caps, 21 goals

About Him

Kevin was already a superstar when he arrived on Tyneside in 1982. With his dynamic personality and 100% commitment Kevin soon became a hero on the terraces, doubling the average attendance at St. James Park. Though he spent only a short time at Newcastle he finished on a high by guiding the club to Division 1, a feat he later repeated as manager.

Name

Andy Cole

Born

Nottingham, 15 October 1971

Height

5 foot 11

Weight

11 stone, 2 pounds

Toon Years

1993-1995

Position

Forward

International Record

2 England caps

About Him

Andy came to professional football via the FA School of Excellence. After only two years at Arsenal where he made just one League appearance, he arrived at Newcastle in 1993 at a cost of £1.75 million after spells at Fulham and Bristol City. In his first 11 games, Andy repaid the faith of Kevin Keegan by scoring 12 goals. It was this sort of form that led Manchester United to pay a record £7 million for him in 1995.

Name

Les Ferdinand

Born

London, 8 December 1966

Height

5 foot 11

Weight

13 stone, 5 pounds

Toon Years

1995-1997

Position

Forward

International Record

13 England caps, 5 goals

About Him

For part of the time that Les was at Newcastle he formed one of the most deadly striking partnerships with Alan Shearer. Signed form QPR in 1995, Les proved both powerful in the air and fearless in the challenge. In his first season, he scored 29 goals, justifying the £6 million Kevin Keegan paid for him. A decade earlier, Les had been bought by QPR from non-League club Hayes for just £15000.