Three games in six days elevated Kevin Keegan’s class of 92/93 to the same stratosphere as the 1983/84 team he himself played in.
Tuesday at Blundell Park saw United secure promotion amid scenes of near delirium from players, officials and fans alike. Long before two games in three days was an issue, promotion was followed up with a less jubilant victory over Oxford. It looked like it might be a case of after the lord mayors’ show as the home side toiled against mid-table side from the Manor Ground. Seventy minutes passed before goals from Lee Clark and Andy Cole roused the players and fans from their Cleethorpes hangovers.
The Oxford victory left United facing Leicester City once again on the final day of the season. Unlike the previous year nothing was riding on the game. Newcastle were champions and Leicester had already secured a play-off berth. The Magpies had been solid at home with only Grimsby leaving with the spoils way back in October following a Jim Dobbin raker at the Leazes End that appeared to surprise the player himself as much as the 30,088 crammed in to the ground.
Twelve months earlier United made their way to Filbert Street knowing only a win would guarantee their second flight status. A first half strike from Gavin Peacock had the travelling fans believing all would be fine. In the 89th minute Leicester captain Steve Walsh headed home, crushing the hearts of the Newcastle fans. In the days before goal apps and 4G it fell to a hardy soul with a transistor radio to update the rest of the crowd. Panicked fans began to wonder whether Brighton, Plymouth or Oxford were winning and whether a first ever season in the third tier beckoned. Leicester knew another goal could see them move in to second place and snatch an automatic promotion spot. With the Leicester fans literally lined up on the touchline a long punt from Tommy Wright would see Walsh turn from hero to villain in a matter of seconds. He misjudged a header and in an effort to keep the advancing Peacock from nabbing the ball he slid it past his keeper to restore Newcastle’s lead. As it happened, results elsewhere meant Newcastle would have been safe regardless, but few people at Filbert Street knew this.
Twelve magical months later Leicester arrived at St James Park to play their part in the second coronation of King Kev. Having won their first eleven games of the season promotion should have been a given. Nothing is ever that simple in the world of Newcastle United however, but despite the odd scare United topped the table all season. Keegan would go on to threaten Alex Ferguson that Newcastle United were coming for their Premier League crown. He bloody well nearly got it as well, but that is a story for another day.
Sunday 9th May 1993 was a day to remember for many reasons. The sun shone, the Gallowgate was a sea of black and white and fans young and old were decked out in the new Asics kits that the players would wear that afternoon. For your correspondent it was the first time inebriated at a football match which wasn’t clever with school the next day!
St James Park had been all ticket since September as fans rode the Keegan juggernaut toward the top flight. Kevin himself had commented that rolling out of the Strawberry at 2:55 was no longer feasible. For those too young to have seen Keegan grace the turf as a player this would be their first feeling of jubilation following the Magpies. The day wasn’t without its surreal aspects as Lindisfarne belted out Fog on the Tyne and Run For Home from the jagged edges of the partially built Leazes Stand. Keegan’s farewell game in 1984 was the last piece of showbiz seen at St James but whilst this game was lacking helipcopters it certainly had the fireworks.
Sporting their new kit United set to work on their opponents from kick off. With five minutes on the clock David Kelly had a shot from the edge of the box parried straight in to the path of the ever alert Andy Cole who swept the ball home at the Gallowgate to give the home side the lead. The Gallowgate was a sea of bodies and surged forward in celebration. Eight minutes later Cole turned provider with a clever back heel setting Robert Lee in on goal. The Londoner made no mistake going across the keeper and nestling the ball in the far corner. Thirteen minutes gone and the home side were dominant, laying siege to the Leicester goal.
Just before the half hour mark Lee Clark swung a deep cross in from the right which was met by the head of David Kelly who powered a header beyond the struggling keeper. The home fans were delirious, King Kev beamed from the bench and Terry Mac was halfway to the Gallowgate end by the time David Kelly swept home his second and United’s fourth in the 34th minute.
United attacked in wave after wave and Leicester were unable to deal with the fluidity and dynamism on show. The stands of St James Park echoed to the tune of the Andy Cole song that only smattered against Oxford days earlier. Buoyed at hearing his name ring around the ground Cole smashed home his second and United’s fifth with the aid of a deflection or two. As half time approached Mark Robinson swung in another deep cross from the right which was again met by the head of David Kelly who retook the lead in his scoring duel with Andy Cole. A first half hattrick from Ned saw Newcastle go in at half time 6-0 up. The fans could scarcely believe what they were witnessing as an incisive United tore Leicester to shreds.
With the game over as a contest the terraces were filled with talk of double figures and what the Premier League might hold. The second half was less frenetic but still saw Cole grab his hat trick in the 66th minute latching on to a through ball from Lee Clark. Clark had taken his cropped hair to the bone and his shiny head shone like a beacon as he controlled the game from the middle of the park.
A late Steve Walsh goal (sounds familiar) at the right end, at least for him, saw Leicester get on the score sheet and the game finished 7-1. Without checking the record books it was the most goals this teenage boy had known Newcastle to score in a game, pipping the six against Barnsley earlier this season and the six scored against Tranmere in the ZDS Cup two years earlier.
Keegan, McDermott and the players completed a lap of honour around the pitch with everyone remaining behind to show their gratitude. Pavel donned the now famous t-shirt for one glorious May afternoon there was no better place to be than down on Barrack Road.
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