Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game
The news that Newcastle United had been bought for £305 million by, effectively, Saudi Arabia, led to wild celebrations around Newcastle. Not only was the club now the world’s richest, joining the petrostate elite of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, but the Ashley era was over. NUFC’s unpopular long-term owner would be counting his riyals well away from Tyneside.
For a fix of football and beer in a party city unlike anywhere in England, Newcastle is the place. Here in the once industrial North East, football was an escape from coal, ship-building and fishing. The landscape may have changed but the religion hasn’t.
Since 1892 and the foundation of Newcastle United, locals have flocked to a hill in the city centre: St James’ Park. Here, before the war at least, they witnessed one of the England’s most successful football clubs.
But United owe their existence to two cricket clubs, whose members formed rival football clubs, East End FC and Newcastle West End, in 1882. Playing at St James’ Park, West End were founding members of the Northern League and competed in the FA Cup. Rivals in both competitions, East End, operated on a more professional footing.
Merging in 1892 to form Newcastle United, the new club dominated the English game after the turn of the century.
A rivalry with Sunderland, the Tyne-Wear derby, was soon struck up, with historic ties dating back well before the arrival of football. Newcastle West End had already lost to Sunderland, in the FA Cup, on Guy Fawkes Day 1887, before the two modern-day clubs met in the league on Good Friday, 1901.
A riot ensued. Hooliganism has marred the fixture ever since. It has also been responsible for managerial upheaval, for example, Ruud Gullit’s sacking after United’s defeat in 1999. In 2013, manager Paolo Di Canio enjoyed a rare moment of glory, a 3-0 for Sunderland at St James’ Park, their first there for 13 years.
Though not as fierce, the Tyne-Tees derby with Middlesbrough enjoys an equally long history – in the late 1880s, the wonderfully named Middlesbrough Ironopolis were the dominant side in the Northern League, over Newcastle East End and West End.
United have always been the dominant club in Newcastle but there’s always been a thriving junior and lower-league scene in and around the city.
Paul Gascoigne played for Gateshead Boys before being taken on at Newcastle. Gateshead FC, on the south bank of the Tyne, compete in the National League.
Revived from liquidation in the 1970s, the club are best known for signing the great Wembley Wizard Hughie Gallacher, shortly before the war – and their heroic cup runs shortly afterwards. Taking notable scalps, including Liverpool’s, Gateshead also made quarter-finals of 1953, when Bolton could only beat them 1-0 on the way to the Matthews final.
Among their closest attempts to join the Football League, Gateshead lost out to Cambridge United in the play-off final at Wembley in 2014. A decade later, the Tynesiders were barred from entering the play-offs due to doubts surrounding the long-term use of their ground, the Gateshead International Stadium, associated with the sport for which the community is best known, athletics.
When a new running track was being laid down in 2003, Gateshead played at Filtrona Park (aka 1st Cloud Arena), home ground of South Shields FC, currently in the National League North, a high point after their reformation in 1974. You’ll find the ground by Bede Metro station, in the industrial estate of the same name.
Across the Tyne, North Shields play Northern League fixtures at the Daren Persson Stadium on W Percy Road, between Meadow Well and North Shields Metro stations.
Further up the coast, league rivals Whitley Bay are the only club to have won the FA Vase four times, including three straight victories from 2009 to 2011. Their Hillshead Park ground is a short walk from Whitley Bay Metro station.
Players of the calibre of Peter Beardsley, Alan Shearer and Michael Carrick started their careers at Wallsend Boys Club, which now runs 47 teams of all ages from their centre at Kirkley Park on Rheydt Avenue near Wallsend Metro station.
Getting Around
Arriving in town and local transport
Newcastle Airport is 10km (six miles) west of town. The Tyne & Wear Metro takes 25 minutes to reach the city centre, trains leaving every 12mins from the platform by the airport. The Metro is divided into three zones – the airport is Zone C, single £3.70 into town, day pass £5.40. St James station is in central Zone A. If coming straight to the stadium, then just change at Monument for St James.
Newcastle also has a bus network, run by Arriva, Stagecoach and Go North East, all with different ticket systems. If you’re coming to Newcastle by train, a PlusBus supplement (£4) is valid for all three, but not the Metro. Newcastle Central Station is on the south side of the city centre, the stadium on the north, but it’s only a 15min walk between them or easy hop on the Metro.
Run by dedicated followers of NUFC, family-run Blueline Taxis (0191 262 6666) have grown from a single Austin Morris in 1958 to today’s operation across the region. Expect to pay around £20 from Newcastle Airport into toon.
Where to Drink
The best pubs and bars for football fans
From the moment you arrive at Central Station, you hit bars. The Centurion, a former first-class railway restaurant built in 1893, has been lovingly restored to embrace urban history and offer live TV sport. Opposite the station, The Head of Steam is more post-work party spot, with daytime opening on Saturdays.
Further up Neville Street, the Victoria Comet in the stately Nicholson’s chain provides fine ales, hefty fare and TV sport – though international rugby takes priority. Two former railway taverns in one, the pub features in the 1970s’ cult gangster film, Get Carter. Alongside, at the foot of Gunner House, the Gunner Tavern pours brews from 18 taps and five casks.
Just behind, the sturdy Town Wall sits in the city’s former medieval defences, within a house that was home to naturalist artist Thomas Bewick – although that’s not his likeness of Fame-era Bowie on display. The bar action continues into Pink Lane, where The Forth lays on beats to accompany the TV football and craft brews amid quirky artwork.
Further up, Rafferty’s & No.33 makes no bones about offering ‘cheap trebs and bevs’, along with karaoke, bingo and live match action.
Over on Westgate Road, Tilleys Bar has screens aplenty, plus quality music and brews, within a pre-match stroll of St James’ Park. Nearer Haymarket, the City Tavern has revived a century-old pub with sought-after ales and whiskies.
Behind the station towards the Tyne, The Telegraph is a nice find, with TV sport and a roof terrace in summer.
For a night on the Toon, many hit the Bigg Market, right in the centre, full of busy chain bars, as well as more old-school options such as the Beehive (2 High Bridge), with its Toon Saloon and NUFC tabletops, and the Old George Inn (Old George Yard). Both offer match action on TV.
Towards the Quayside, Akenside Traders is great for sports, the Crown Posada for a drink in traditional surroundings and the Bridge Tavern immediately below the Tyne Bridge for craft brews, a quality menu and rooftop beer garden. The Redhouse specialises in pies, with a terrace overlooking the Tyne Bridge.
Where to stay
The best hotels for the ground and around town
The NewcastleGateshead Tourist Information Centre has an online booking service. The swish four-star Sandman Signature, in the shadow of St James’ Park, stands on the site of the famous Newcastle Brown Ale brewery. Some standard rooms have stadium views. As well as offering celebration packages, it houses the Shark Club Bar, popular pre- and post-match.
A spot in lively Quayside also allows easy passage from bar to bed. The pick are Malmaison overlooking the Tyne and the Copthorne, with its waterfront Quay 7 bar and restaurant. Over the water is the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, with its Windows on the Tyne bar and restaurant.
More affordable lodging can be found at the Premier Inn Quayside, whose sister hotel on Newgate Street is a short walk from St James’ Park.
Still close to the riverfront, the Vermont below Newcastle Castle is all pre-war grandeur and top-notch dining and drinking. Further into town, notch-above Grey Street is more boutiquey, non-guests welcome to tuck into charcoal-grilled steaks at its Leila Lily’s restaurant.
Handily facing by the station, the County Hotel echoes the splendour of the steam age in its rooms and Hudson bar and restaurant, while next door, Hampton by Hilton Newcastle offers affordable upper mid-range comfort.
Where to shop
Finding football treasure in town
There are few better football memorabilia stores than The Back Page (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 9am-5.30pm/closed during NUFC home games but open later afterwards inc evening fixtures, Sun 11am-5pm) in St Andrew’s Street in the shadow of St James’ Park. One of the first of its kind, it’s an oasis of sought-after football shirts, DVDs, programmes, tickets and postcards , from the Toon and way, way beyond.
Opened by Mick Edmondson in 2003, it has welcomed visits by Gascoigne, Beardsley and Tino Asprilla, among many other ex-players. In 2016, it opened a larger branch in the Upper Blue Mall of the vast Gateshead Metrocentre (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm), with a wider range of sports represented.
