Ben Foster played in every division of the English football league system before hanging up his gloves in August 2023 with the rising Wrexham A.F.C. He wore the number one jersey for 12 different clubs, including Premier League giants Manchester United and non-league outfit Tiverton Town.
The 41-year-old gained popularity on his YouTube channel 'The Cycling GK' where he uploaded footage of himself participating in matches during the latter stages of his career. This would include encounters with opposition fans and traveling around the United Kingdom while between the sticks at Watford and Wrexham, with his GoPro 'banned' by the Premier League in 2022.
Foster finished his career visiting some of the most famous grounds in English football, including Anfield and Elland Road, while calling Old Trafford, the second-largest stadium in England, his home while at United. But the stadium that blew him away the most was because of the noise made by thousands of passionate Geordies.
Newcastle's St James' Park 'Rocked' Foster
Ex-Premier League goalkeeper called the noise 'outrageous'
There perhaps isn't a more patriotic fanbase in English football than the Toon Army, who make their voices heard loud and clear each game at St James' Park. There have been several famous nights where Newcastle United have boasted a 'twelth man' through the noise made by the home supporters, such as their famous 4-1 thrashing of Paris Saint-Germain in the 23/24 UEFA Champions League.
Foster knows all too well about how the Gallowgate End can become raucous after visiting the ground on eight occasions. While speaking on The FozCast, he gave a glowing verdict on the UK's 11th largest capacity stadium:
"The best stadium to play in as a footballer is honestly Newcastle. St James' Park, when that place is rocking, oh my gosh, what an atmosphere!"
'Hark now hear the Geordies sing' is an appropriate description of just how loud and proud the Magpies' fans are. He witnessed them come unglued in a 1-1 draw with Watford after Allan Saint-Maximin had put the hosts ahead:
"But it's a different atmosphere to other stadiums though, because it's not necessarily an intimidating atmosphere, like when we played them a few weeks ago, they scored one-nil in like the fiftieth minute, and the place is rocking. The noise is incredible, and it's such a massive, vast stadium. The noise is outrageous."
Newcastle fans
St James' Park is renowned for its atmosphere and has one of the best in the UK, which can make a trip to NE1 a daunting prospect for most sides. It opened in 1892 and has undergone three different renovations but The Daily Mail reports plans for the club to build a new 65,000-capacity stadium and leave what has been their home for 133 years.
Foster Turned Newcastle Down Before Retiring
The veteran English shot-stopper could have joined The Magpies
Foster came out of retirement to play for Wrexham in March 2023, helping the Red Dragons, co-owned by Hollywood's Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, reach EFL League One. But he could have continued playing in the Premier League when Newcastle came calling in the summer of 2022 amid an injury crisis.
The former eight-cap England international claimed that the Magpies made a lucrative offer to bring him to St James' Park after he left Watford (via talkSPORT):
"It sounds mad and it's such a hard thing to explain because there'll be millions of people up and down the country that will say 'you've just been offered a contract, a really good contract, by the richest team in the world to go and be second-choice goalkeeper and be part of something'."
Foster didn't want to move away from home but acknowledged how he'd have 'buzzed off the stadium, the fans' but wasn't tempted enough. He was comfortable with his wife and children in Warwickshire, learning golf and Newcastle turned to ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius.
That 'buzz' came back six months later when Wrexham's rise started. He came out of retirement, taking the Welsh outfit's number one jersey and made a 96th-minute penalty save three weeks later in a National League title showdown with Notts County. He called time on his career for a second time in August 2023.
Ben Foster Record At St James' Park
Clubs Played For
Apppearances
Clean Sheets
Goals Conceded
Wins
Draws
Defeats
All statistics courtesy ofTransfermarkt- correct as of 14/03/2025.
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