The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
The rich history of Magpies versus City
THE Toon against the City Slickers is a football fixture with a vibrant history. We await the next chapter with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.
For us the most memorable skirmish between Newcastle United and Manchester City was the 1955 FA Cup final at Wembley when the Magpies cemented their reputation as the cup kings of England by claiming the silver pot for a third time in five years.
Wor Jackie scored in a recordbreaking 45 seconds with a header of all things when he supposedly was never able to plant brow upon ball with any conviction.
He wasn’t even meant to be playing – manager Dugald Livingstone sensationally left Tyneside’s legend out of his team submitted to the board of directors in the most obvious resignation letter ever penned.
Jimmy Scoular, captain upon the retirement of sergeant major Joe Harvey, destroyed City sweeping long crossfield balls to Bobby Mitchell, the original bobby dazzler. Final scoreline 3-1.
It was hard enough for City but they went down to 10 men as early as the 22nd minute when already a goal behind as Jimmy Meadows hobbled off injured. No subs in those days.
Three United players completed a hat-trick of winner’s medals that afternoon – Milburn, Mitchell and Bobby Cowell. The first two were match killers, legends in United’s history.
For City, their Wembley revenge came 21 years later when they claimed the League Cup courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Newcastle, the fatal dagger thrust being delivered by a Geordie, Dennis Tueart, with a spectacular overhead kick.
Ironically, it was United’s best performance of modern times in a final defeat at our national stadium. Better than the FA Cup losses of 1974, ’98 and ’99 and the League Cup setback of last season.
Just to pour a bucketload of salt into a gaping wound, Tueart had helped Sunderland lift the FA Cup three years before in one of the biggest upsets ever, a Second Division side beating the mighty Leeds 1-0.
After his destruction of his hometown club, I tackled Dennis in the Wembley tunnel, sweat still on his brow and trophy in one hand.
“That’s what you get mate if you reject me,” he chortled. United had told him he was too small to be a pro footballer when he had gone for a trial!
However, as far as City are concerned I would suggest that their greatest result over NUFC came on the last day of the 1967-68 season at St James’ Park when a spectacular 4-3 victory confirmed them as England’s champions.
It was a real North East v North West Saturday final flourish. Manchester United were second in the table, and had to win to have any chance of nicking the title off their neighbours, but sensationally lost 2-0 to Sunderland!
What a match it was up here. I was exhausted just watching. The blues were brilliant attackers with a famous five up top of Franny Lee, Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee, Neil Young and Tony Coleman. They were never behind but Newcastle never surrendered the fight.
The see-saw goals rush read: Summerbee 0-1, Pop Robson 1-1, Young 1-2, Jackie Sinclair 2-2, Young 2-3, Lee 2-4, John Mcnamee 3-4.
Colin Bell, a North East lad from Hesleden, was such a thoroughbred with relentless stamina he was nicknamed Nijinsky, after the champion racehorse. A player we could be proud of exporting to the world rather than keeping for ourselves like Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Ray Kennedy and Michael Carrick.
Summerbee, best mates with George Best, is still a City ambassador to this very day, while Lee was a roly-poly bundle of energy who in an extravagant varied career became a racehorse trainer, millionaire through his company which made among other things toilet rolls, and the major shareholder who made himself chairman of City.
However, there was a massive consolation for Newcastle in defeat. They still qualified for the European Fairs Cup and the following season won their one and so far only European trophy.
We have witnessed exciting Newcastle results of lesser importance than cup finals or league title deciders of course and been suitably grateful.
For example two jump to my mind from the early noughties – first in November 2003 was the battle of England managers and Newcastle icons, United’s Sir Bobby Robson v City’s Kevin Keegan. The Mags roared home 3-0 with Alan Shearer twice and Shola Ameobi sweeping the ball past the ponytailed David Seaman.
A year later, October 2004, it was United 4 City 3 with Craig Bellamy nicking an 89th-minute winner after Laurent Robert, Shearer and Robbie Elliott had traded blows with Shaun Wright-phillips (2) and Robbie Fowler. Finally, who can forget as recently as January of 2019? Sergio Aguero scored within 24 seconds of the start but somehow Rafa’s Newcastle fought back to triumph 2-1 through a penalty 10 minutes from time scored by someone still around, Matt Ritchie. However, Man City inevitably went on to win the title again.
Now of course we have City v Newcastle once more on Saturday with a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup waiting the victor. Tough is hardly the word.
The most important result for the visitors to remember as they approach Becher’s Brook for the second time around a mighty course is what happened earlier this season in another knockout competition.
The only reason Pep’s pedigrees are not chasing every bit of silverware originally open to them is because United knocked them out of the Carabao Cup 1-0 at St James’ Park.
It was on September 27 last and Alexander Isak was the wielder of the axe. If it happens again we would be amazed but equally thoroughly thrilled.