Still making their mark
he came home for a record fee and the rest is history.
Despite flirting with management during a turbulent spell with the Toon, he appears to have shelved his plans to be a coach completely in favour of his high-profile punditry work with the BBC. He revealed he’d love a crack at the England job follow Roy Hodgson’s 2016 exit but has since said it’s unlikely we’ll see him in the dugout again.
Beardsley’s indelible mark on North East football will never be erased – but the future of his involvement with Newcastle United hangs in the balance.
The mercurial talent came up through Wallsend Boys club but didn’t make the cut at Newcastle and ended up moving to Carlisle. Hexham-born Beardsley had a stellar career and won honours with Liverpool but it’s the two spells with Newcastle, where he established himself as one of the most gifted ever players to pull on the black and white shirt, that he’ll be most remembered for. He’s been involved behind the scenes since the early 2000s, most recently as a youth coach, but is currently suspended pending the outcome of a bullying investigation. Beardsley categorically denies the allegations.
This North Shields lad was a fan favourite on Tyneside – and there might be a lot more to come.
After playing for Wallsend Boys Club, he became Newcastle’s youngest ever player when he came on as a sub against Wolves in 1990.It was the beginning of a career which saw him become one of Kevin Keegan’s most versatile players and an underrated cog in United’s most exciting ever side. After a successful spell managing Gateshead, Watson was poached by York City and he’s considered by some as one of the lower leagues’ brighter managerial prospects.
Clark is another player who learned his trade at Wallsend Boys Club and became integral to one of the Toon’s most famous ever sides. After joining the academy, he graduated to the first team and was part of the side which won promotion under Keegan and pushed for the title in the top division. He spent time at Sunderland before moving to Fulham and then a brief swansong back at Newcastle.
Clark’s got a patchy record in management since but you wouldn’t bet against him getting back in the game and making a splash.
He’s out of a job after spells with Huddersfield, Birmingham City, Blackpool, Kilmarnock and Bury. Clark was linked with the vacant Hibs job before Paul Higginbottom’s appointment this week but don’t expect him to be quiet for long.
Steven Taylor did things the old-fashioned way: Wallsend Boys Club, NUFC youth academy, first team.
Over 13 years, he was a core member of the squad and had a longevity at the club which few other local lads have managed in recent years. The die-hard Newcastle fan recently spoke to the Sunday Sun about life at his new club, Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand.
“They show all of the Premier League games over here and I’m up at 4am or 5am or whatever for every Newcastle match”, he said. “I’ve even converted some of the other lads to the cause and they’re joining me now.”
A talented goalkeeper who caught the eye of the England set-up, Forster has had a turbulent career.
After Wallsend Boys Club, he never managed to break through at Newcastle despite successful loan moves to Norwich and Celtic. Eventually he moved to Glasgow, a spell which will be remembered for two astonishing displays against Barcelona which prompted Lionel Messi to publicly sing his praises. He moved to Southampton and his form saw him win six England caps but things have been tougher since and he’s spent a year out in the cold. At 30 years old, there’s still time for the Geordie lad who pushed one of the greatest footballers ever to the limits to make a comeback.