Mail Sport with the help of our readers is on a mission to find the greatest player of all-time at each of the 20 Premier League clubs.
Today it’s the turn to look at the legends of Newcastle United from the founder of the offside trap William McCracken through Jackie Milburn to Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer.
And once you’ve made up your mind who is all the best-ever, it’s time to vote..
In terms of trophies, Newcastle United have a lopsided history. All four of their league championships occurred by 1927 and they famously haven’t lifted any trophy since 1969. Even so, they’ve had their fare share of individual greats – often wearing the club’s iconic No 9.
Northern Ireland defender Bill McCracken’s influence on the game extended beyond the three league titles and FA Cup he won during an incredible 19-year career on Tyneside from 1904.
‘Wor’ Jackie Milburn (right) has a stand named after him at St. James’ Park and is a fan icon at Newcastle
Alan Shearer never won anything with Newcastle but has no regrets over joining the club he grew up supporting
Draconian offside laws at the time meant teams were flagged unless there were three defending players (including the goalkeeper) between the attacking receiver and the goal.
McCracken devised a trap that increased the amount of offsides, reduced goals and made him a hate figure at away grounds in contrast to the Geordies who loved him. In 1925, The FA relaxed their laws to one defender plus the goalkeeper, which still stands today.
If McCracken was a pragmatist, 1920s striker Hughie Gallacher was the first of the great Scottish entertainers and also the first to make the black-and-white No 9 jersey one of the most famous in English football.
He signed for a club record £6,500 in December 1925 and still finished the season as Newcastle’s top scorer, starting the next campaign as captain as Newcastle won their last league title..
Only 5ft 5ins tall, Gallacher didn’t lack in self-belief and he scored 36 goals in the championship season, including the winner against title rivals Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park.
After that, it was FA Cup success at Wembley that defined Newcastle with Jackie Milburn their biggest star as they won the cup three times in five seasons – 1951. 1952 and 1955.
“Wor” Jackie as he was affectionately known was lightning quick and packed a powerful shot. He scored both goals in the ’51 final win against Blackpool and his opener after 45 seconds against Manchester City four years later was the quickest in English football’s showpiece until 1997.
Milburn finished with more than 200 goals for Newcastle and tens of thousands lined the streets for his funeral in 1988. There is a stand named after him at St James’ Park.
Only 5ft 5ins tall, Hughie Gallacher didn’t lack in self-belief and he scored 36 goals in the championship season
Bobby Moncur (left)was the last Newcastle captain to lift another trophy while Malcom Macdonald (right) scored a hat-trick on his first game
The last Toon captain to lift a trophy was Bobby Moncur, another Scot and the inspirational figure behind their 1969 Fairs Cup success. Remarkably, given he wasn’t noted for his goalscoring, he scored three times in the two-legged final against Ujpesti Dosza of Hungary.
A strong tackler and commanding presence at the back, he also skippered Newcastle to the 1974 FA Cup Final which they lost to Liverpool.
By then, the No 9 was a cocky Londoner christened Supermac. Malcom Macdonald started as he meant to go on by scoring a hat-trick against Liverpool on his home debut in 1971, a game he described as the ‘stuff of dreams.’
He went on to register 138 goals in five seasons in the north-east and was regarded as a Messiah on Tyneside during a period in which they were behind the leading teams in the country.
The only regret for Macdonald, an outstanding finisher, was not winning a trophy despite playing in a couple of cup finals but he wasn’t the last to feel that pain. During his time at Newcastle, he scored a record five goals for England in one game against Cyprus.
Kevin Keegan made headlines around the world when he signed for Newcastle as a Second Division club in 1982 – only three years after he’d been voted European Player of the Year.
Newcastle swept to promotion with Keegan forming an unstoppable forward line with Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley and he became even better-known later on in his two spells as manager.
Beardsley had been a brilliant team-mate of Keegan’s and after finding fame and fortune with Liverpool, Everton and England, he returned in 1993 to help Kevin the manager.
Kevin Keegan (left) and Peter Beardsley (right) formed a prodigious forward line at St James’ Park
Keegan (second left) watches on as Grimsby goalkeeper Nigel Batch claims a cross
An unselfish forward who was ahead of his time by dropping in as a No 10 and creating as well as scoring goals, Beardsley formed a lethal partnership with Andy Cole to get Newcastle into the Premier League and was then part of the “Entertainers” side which ran Manchester United close in 1996.
Chief entertainer was mercurial French winger David Ginola who adapted to life in England by watching episodes of Only Fools and Horses with team-mate Steve Watson.
Ginola’s skills were a novelty to English fans though Newcastle’s strikers were quick to remind him they’d prefer a quick cross rather than a crowd-pleasing bit of skill on the flanks.
There were gasps when Newcastle broke the world transfer record by paying £15m for hometown hero Alan Shearer after Euro 96 – Shearer having the temerity to turn down Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United to fulfil his boyhood dream.
Shearer went on to score 206 times for Newcastle – eclipsing Milburn’s record – and his 260 Premier League goals (some scored at Blackburn) is also unsurpassed.
He could score all type of goals including long-range strikes reminiscent of Bobby Charlton. He didn’t win any medals, twice beaten in FA Cup finals, but did take the club into the Champions League and won the undying love of his people.
Shearer himself has no regrets about joining Newcastle. ‘If I had the same decision to make, I would do exactly the same thing. I loved my 10 years at Newcastle despite us not winning anything.’
David Ginola’s skills were a novelty to English fans and the Frenchman adapted to life in England by watching episodes of Only Fools And Horses
Shearer scored 206 goals for the Magpies and is still the Premier League’s record marksman
To select your greatest Newcastle United player, click on the voting button or email [email protected] if you want to choose someone not on the shortlist.
We will reveal the results of the greatest all-time player for all 20 Premier League clubs before the start of the 2024/25 season.