JOHNGIBSON Stars of past need to be recognised in Hall of Fame
SO MANY HUGE NAMES OF ACHIEVEMENT ARE MISSING
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IT WAS with a grateful heart that I welcomed the induction of Rob Lee and David Craig into Newcastle United’s Hall of Fame.
Rob was a true Entertainer, a wonderful England international, while David was a classic full-back who played a significant part in United winning their only ever European trophy, the Fairs Cup of 69.
However, their recognition got me thinking...
I know it’s all a matter of opinion – who is great and who is merely good – but I would like to believe that sometime soon glaring omissions will be righted.
For example, if Shola Ameobi is in United’s Hall of Fame, why isn’t Wyn Davies, Chris Waddle, Len White or George Robledo? If Pavel Srnicek and Steve Harper help carry the goalkeepers’ flag, what about Willie McFaul who served 22 unbroken years as player, coach, and manager winning the Fairs Cup? Plus FA Cup winners Ronnie Simpson and Jack Fairbrother?
And then there are 1955 skipper Jimmy Scoular, central defenders Philippe Albert and Steve Howey, little Terry Hibbitt, Nobby Solano, and Bobby Cowell, the local lad who made 409 appearances in black and white and featured in all three Wembley Cup victories of the fifties. Only three guys did that.
Hidden away in the mists of time with fewer and fewer people to state his case we have the greatest omission of all – Mr Newcastle, Stan Seymour.
Mercurial left winger when United won the FA Cup in 1924 and their last league championship in 1927, he was elevated to the role of director with the club at its lowest ebb in 1938 and went on to build the three FA Cup final sides of the fifties from the boardroom as manager. How on earth can he be overlooked?
There are United’s last top-flight championship (27) and last domestic trophy (50s FA Cup) in there which makes Seymour just about unique in United’s history.
Managerial records do come into play as they have already with the official recognition of Joe Harvey, Kevin Keegan, and Sir Bobby Robson who didn’t play for the club at all of course.
Other golden oldies? Of course:
HOW football fortunes can change in the blink of an eye.
Within the space of just four weeks, the whole midfield landscape of Newcastle United changed.
On October 6, when the Mags beat Manchester United 1-0, the stars hailed by all were the Longstaff brothers Matty, who
■ Frank Hudspeth, 472 matches over 19 years who won his first England caps at almost 36 years of age and when 37 captained United to their 1927 league title being an ever present;
■ Peter McWilliam, championship winner on three occasions who took part in four FA Cup finals winning one in 1910.
■ And the original SuperMac Tom McDonald, who missed only one game of United’s run to lifting the FA Cup in 1924 and whose contribution to claiming the league championship three years later was 41 games and 17 goals.
Please, come on, may these glittering stars so far overlooked be rightfully recognised before very long Newcastle United. scored the winner, and Sean.
Fast forward to November 2 when Newcastle next won, 3-2 at West Ham, and the Longstaffs were nowhere to be seen while Jonjo Shelvey, discarded and almost forgotten, was resurrected and grabbed the winner.
Whatever next? A hat-trick from one of the front three?