The Magpies' 3-2 win over Qarabag marked their 150th game in European competition
Newcastle's Dan Burn celebrates his goal against PSG
Newcastrle United have now played 150 games in European competition(Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle)
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You know your life has been touched by privilege when history and the record books tell you so. Newcastle United have just completed their 150th game in European competition and are about to move onwards and upwards into the last 16 of this season's Champions League. At least two more matches for the honours board and, who knows, perhaps more.
Privileged? Well I am the only working hack who has covered United during the whole of their European involvement dating back 58 years to 1968 when, excitable innocents, we made our debut in the European Fairs Cup with devastating effect. For a Geordie kid born in the west end of the city with a beating black-and-white heart it is the ultimate joy.
Let us first consider the maths - having completed the demolition of Azerbaijan champions Qarabag by the considerable margin of 9-3 United's record shows 81 wins, 33 draws and 36 losses from their 150 forays into continental play.
The breakdown reveals 40 Champions League ties, 72 in the UEFA Cup/Europa League, two in the now defunct Cup Winners Cup, 24 in the European Fairs Cup, and another 12 in the InterToto Cup.
Two current players, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, have shouldered their way into United's list of top scorers, albeit in the foothills compared with the greatest marksmen of them all.
Alan Shearer naturally sits astride the mountain top with 30 goals, followed some distance away by Shola Ameobi on 15, Craig Bellamy 11, and then Gordon on 10 along with Wyn Davies. Who else? Tino Asprilla who has nine to his name with Pop Robson, Nobby Solano seven, Obi Martens six, and then Barnes on five with a clutch of other names.
So among 150 ties of pulsating success and crippling disappointment spanning 58 years which ones dominate my memory? Which make my top ten? Let's go:
1: Ujpest Dozsa, 3-2 Fairs Cup final second leg away 1969
It has to be because United gained their one and only European trophy with a magnificent 6-2 aggregate swamping of Hungarian champions, universally hailed as the best team on the continent at the time.
Newcastle descended upon Budapest with a healthy three-goal lead from the home tie but by half-time their aggregate advantage had been cut to 3-2 with the Magical Magyars in full flow. However a sensational second-half saw United topple Ujpest with three goals Bob Moncur completing a two-legged hat-trick.
Remember When colour versions of classic Newcastle United photographs from the ncjMedia archive. Bob Moncur holds the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup aloft at St James' Park during Newcastle United's homecoming parade 12th June, 1969
Newcastle United clinched the Fairs Cup in 1969(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
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2: Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 Champions League 2022
What a night of dripping drama. Aristocrats not only downed but destroyed at a delirious SJP. All four goals scored without a contribution from plunderer supreme Alexander Isak. We were back in the big time.
3: Barcelona 3-2 Champions League 1997
The match which propelled the name of the flamboyant, outrageous Tino Asprilla into Geordie folklore. A hat-trick and a box full of tricks with Keith Gillespie the chief support.
Faustino Asprilla scores one of his three goals in Newcastle United's 3-2 Champions League win over Barcelona at St James' Park, September 17, 1997
Faustino Asprilla notched a hat-trick against Barcelona in 1997(Image: Daily Mirror)
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4: Glasgow Rangers 2-0 Fairs Cup semi-final second leg 1969
The Battle Of Britain had been set up by a 0-0 draw at Ibrox in front of 70,000 with Willie McFaul saving a penalty. Ironically two Scots scored United's goals, Jim Scott and Jackie Sinlcair, and sparked a riot amongst Rangers supporters that temporarily stopped the match.
5: Feyenoord 4-0 Fairs Cup 1968
United's first ever game in Europe and what an introduction. The Dutch giants had European history but were dismantled by the naive enthusiasm of the newcomers. It was a moment of fleeting glory for Elliot Anderson's grandad Geoff Allen, himself a bairn at the time.
6: Feyenoord 3-2 Champions League 2002
Another epic night against the same club - Bobby Robson's Mags had to win in Rotterdam to have any chance of making the next stage of Europe's top competition but, having been two up, they were pegged back to 2-2 before Craig Bellamy snatched his second and a dramatic winner in the 90th minute from an acute angle.
Craig Bellamy of Newcastle United celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the UEFA Champions League First Phase Group E match at Feyenoord.
Craig Bellamy of Newcastle United celebrates after scoring the winning goal at Feyenoord.(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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7: Royal Antwerp 5-0 UEFA Cup 1994
This was when the Entertainers hit Europe, our first fixture back on the international stage for nearly 20 years and, my, did we announce our return. Rob Lee notched a hat-trick of headers for KK in Belgium and we won the second leg 5-2 for a record 10-2 aggregate. We were royal, we made them twerps!
8: Inter Milan 2-0 Fairs Cup 1970
Dramatic stuff against the Milan giants. We drew 1-1 in the San Siro when Inter required an equaliser six minutes from time to escape defeat but they were well tucked up at SJP through goals from Bob Moncur and Wyn Davies.
However the real drama came shortly after Moncs' opener. The Italian keeper Vieri, incensed by referee Joseph Minnoy awarding Newcastle a free-kick inside the Inter penalty box, actually right hooked the Belgian ref and dropped him to his knees. He was inevitably sent off with Geordie Bobbys on the pitch to restore order.
9: Juventus 1-0 Champions League 2002
Against all odds United won their group match through the most unlikely of scorers full-back Andy Griffin. This was a Juve team of superstars like Del Piero, Buffon, Thurman, Davids, and Nedved bossed by Marcello Lippi.
Andy Griffin scores for Newcastle against Juventus in the 2002 Champions League clash
Andy Griffin scores for Newcastle against Juventus in the 2002 Champions League win(Image: Getty Images)
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10: Croatia Zagreb 2-1 Champions League 1997
I have to include it if only because every time I bump into John Beresford he reminds me of it! It was United's first ever venture into the Champions League albeit through a qualifying round but without this victory we would never have enjoyed overpowering Barcelona later in the competition.
United were without the injured Alan Shearer for the first leg at SJP but two goals by Bez, either side of their equaliser, set us up for a 2-2 in Zagreb after extra time and a 4-3 aggregate.
I have other warm continental memories like winning the Anglo-Italian Cup against Fiorentina in Florence 1973 through a David Craig goal and sparking a riot in Rome along the way after sickening Roma with a John Tudor brace but as that competition was by invitation and not qualification it sadly doesn't count on the official European roll of honour.
Still, my memory bank is not yet full. I am open to more drama . . . as long as it has a glorious conclusion. Europe is a wonderful stage because it represents success through merely qualifying. It is the modern day London Palladium with all its pomp and grandeur.
Over to you Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes et al.
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