ClubFirsts


Newcastle United firsts

The one good thing about being first is that no-body can beat you.  There will always be players who can score a faster goal or a faster hat-trick or make more appearances but when you are first, it is something that nobody can take away from you.

Newcastle United’s first ever game

December 10th 1892 – Newcastle played Middlesbrough Ironopolis in the Northern League and were winning 1-0 at half time through a goal by Harry Reay but conceded twice in the second half and lost 2-1.

On September 2nd 1893, Newcastle played their first Football League Division 2 game, a 2-2 with Woolwich Arsenal.

Newcastle’s first FA Cup game was played on January 21st 1893 but Newcastle were beaten 3-2.

Newcastle first game in the Football League Division 1 was played on September 3rd, 1898 but Newcastle lost 4-2 to Wolvehampton Wanderers.

On October 10th 1960, Newcastle made their League Cup debut with a 1-0 defeat to Colchester United.

Newcastle made their debut in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup on September 11 1968, they beat Feyenoord 4-0 and went on to win the competition that season.

The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup later became the UEFA Cup and Newcastle’s UEFA Cup debut came in 1977 on September 14 with a goaless draw against Bohemians.

Newcastle made their Premier League debut on August 14th, 1993.  Newcastle were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur.

Newcastle broke into the Champions League in 1997 and made their debut against Croatia Zagreb on August 13th 1997.  It has been argued that because the game against Zagreb was only a qualifier it means that Newcastle’s first official game in the Champions League was against Barcelona on September 17th 1997.

Newcastle United’s first ever goal

December 10th 1892 – Newcastle scored their first goal in the Northern League.  Harry Reay scored for Newcastle United in a 2-1 defeat by Middlesbrough Ironopolis.  This is officially the first ever goal by a Newcastle United player.

Tom Crate was the first Newcastle scorer in the Football League Division 2 when he scored in a 2-2 with Woolwich Arsenal on September 2nd 1893.

Harry Reay was not only the scorer of Newcastle’s first ever goal but he also scored Newcastle’s first goal in the FA Cup.  Reay scored in a 3-2 defeat against Middlesbrough.

Jock Peddie was the scorer of Newcastle’s first goal in the Football League Division 1 scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 3rd, 1898.

When Jim Scott scored against Feyenoord in 1968 he became the first Newcastle player to score in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Tommy Craig now a coach at Newcastle was the first to score for Newcastle in the UEFA Cup.  Newcastle won against Bohemians in 1977.

August 21st 1993 saw Andy Cole become the first Newcastle player to score in the Premier League when he scored in a 1-1 with Manchester United.  However it was not Newcastle’s first Premiership goal as three days before Cole’s scored, Newcastle lost 2-1 to Coventry but the Newcastle goal was credited as an own goal by Coventry’s Peter Atherton.

John Beresford is the man responsible for Newcastle’s first Champions League goal after scoring against Croatia Zagreb, but that game was a qualifier so it is argued that the first goal was scored by Tino Asprilla against Barcelona in September 1997.

Newcastle United’s first hat-trick

September 30th 1893 – Willie Thompson scored a hat-trick as Newcastle beat Woolwich Arsenal 6-0.  Joseph Wallace also scored a hat-trick in this match, which make this also Newcastle’s first double hat-trick.

Newcastle’s first FA Cup hat-trick was scored against Grimsby on March 7th, 1908. The scorer was Bill Appleyard.

In 1901, Jock Peddie scored Newcastle’s first hat-trick in the Football League Division 1 in a game against Notts County.

Newcastle first League Cup hat-trick was scored by one of the clubs all time greats.  Malcolm MacDonald scored three time against Doncaster in 1973.

In the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup which was a two-legged ties.  Bobby Moncur scored three time but this is not counted as a hat-trick as the three goals were over two games.  This is the closest that Newcastle have come to a hat-trick in the Fairs Cup.

Newcastle have scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Cup.  Many Newcastle fans will remember Robert Lee’s hat-trick against Royal Antwerb in 1994.

October 30th 1993 saw Peter Beardsley score a hat-trick against Wimbledon.  Newcastle first Premiership hat-trick.

Probably the most famous Newcastle hat-trick came on September 17th, 1997 in the Champions League.   Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla scored three times as Newcastle beat Spanish giants Barcelona 3-2.  Many people also claim that this was the first time Newcastle played and scored in the Champions League despite having to play a qualifier against Croatia Zagreb.