Category: Sports

Everton has been a staple of England’s top division in football for well over a century now, and much of that is thanks to signing the right players. However, over the years, Everton has made some signing blunders. Here are our picks for the five worst signings in Everton history. Before we begin the list, some of the dishonorable mentions that just missed the cut include Ashley Williams, Sandro Ramirez, Morgan Schneiderline, and Cenk Tosun.

Davy Klaassen

Dutchman Davy Klaassen was brought up with a pair of different youth programs prior to joining Ajax in 204. Seven years later, the midfielder made his debut on the senior squad and became a staple of the club, including being named the captain. In his 126 league appearances, Klaassen had 44 goals and won the top division in the Netherlands three times. Klaassen became a hot commodity and was given a five-year contract with Everton worth £23.6 million.

To say that things went wrong would be an understatement, as the club ended up paying over £3.3 million per each one of his league matches (just seven). There had been a major management change almost as soon as Klaassen arrived, and the new regime butted heads with him constantly. He struggled to adapt to the Premier League and he only lasted for 13 months before heading to Werder Bremen.

Fabian Delph

Bradford native Fabian Delph was a rising star as a youth player with Leeds United during the early 2000s. He made his professional debut in 2006, and over the next three years would play over 40 matches with Leeds. In 2009 he signed a deal with Aston Villa, becoming a cornerstone of the club with over 110 league matches played. Delph made yet another Premier League stop from 2015 to 2019 with Manchester City, and finally in 2019 made his way to Everton on an £8.5 million deal.

Delph retired in 2022 after his contract came to an end, and that contract ended up being a disappointment. He appeared in just 35 Premier League matches during that time, failing to find the net as a scorer. Everton wasn’t able to win any major trophies throughout his tenure while Delph himself received no individual honors.

Yannick Bolasie

Yannick Bolasie has played with a long list of teams throughout his football career, especially as he’s been loaned out several times, including by Everton. The Lyon, France native debuted in 2006 with Hillingdon Borough and spent time with the likes of Floriana, Bristol City, and Plymouth Argyle over the next few years. He found a steady home from 2012 to 2016 with Crystal Palace before Everton spent paid a £25 transfer fee to acquire his services.

Bolasie was almost instantly injured, missing nearly his entire first year. Once he recovered, Bolasie didn’t really fit into the plans of the club and he was loaned out several times including to Sporting CP and Aston Villa. All in all, Bolasie made just 29 Premier League appearances for Everton and scored just twice. When his contract with Everton expired in 2021, Bolasie joined Caykur Rizespor in Turkey.

Per Kroldup

The only Dane on the list, Per Kroldup came into the professional football ranks with B.93 in 1998. After spending three years with the club, Kroldup made his way to Udinese for another four seasons. Then, Everton felt that they had seen enough to sign him to a large deal, spending £5 million to obtain him on a four-year deal. Before making his first appearance, though, Kroldup suffered an injury that required surgery.

It took six months for Kroldup to finally make his debut, but he played in just one Premier League game for Everton before his tenure came to an end. Only one month after his lone Everton match, he was sent to Fiorentina. Luckily for them, though, Kroldup would last for six years in his new setting before wrapping up his career with Pescara and Olhanense.

Oumar Niasse

The final player on the list is the Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who began his career with US Ouakam in his hometown. In 154 appearances, Niasse netted an impressive 102 goals before heading to Akhisar Belediyespor. After a year there, he spent two years with Lokomotiv Moscow until making his way to the Premier League for a £13.5 million transfer fee paid by Everton on a 54-month deal.

Niasse barely saw the pitch during his first year and his spot on the roster was considered to be fringe at best. Instead of having him hang around as a reserve, Niasse was sent to Hull City and Cardiff City on loan, making just 35 league appearances for Everton in his four years with the club.

Everton has played in hundreds of matches throughout club history, and some of them have stood out as all-time greats. The club dates back to the late 1870s, so it’s hard to narrow things down to just five matches. However, we feel that these five are all ones that Everton fans should know and go back to watch whenever they’re feeling down.

Ending the Drought in 1978

The Merseyside Derby is the biggest match of the year for Everton as they get to take on archrival Liverpool. The two clubs were formed between 1878 and 1884, and have been playing each other almost every year since then outside of some long gaps around both World Wars. In November 1971, Everton would defeat Liverpool 1-0, but it would take years before Everton came out on top again.

Seven draws (six of them scoreless) and eight Liverpool wins later, Everton finally put the skid to an end on October 28, 1978. In Goodison Park, the two squared off in a First Division match, and both of them were near the top of the table. Neither team scored in the first half, but Andy King added a goal in the 58th minute which would prove to be the only one of the match. While Liverpool would take the First Division title, Everton came out on top that day.

The Stomping of Sunderland

While Everton wasn’t a favorite to win the English Premier League in the 2007-08 season, the club was still expected to do very well. Everton ended up finishing in fifth place behind Liverpool and Arsenal while collecting some impressive victories along the way. The most impressive of those wins was a record-setting performance against Sunderland on November 24, 2007. In front of 38,594 in Goodison Park, Everton came to play.

Everton started off the scoring with a goal by Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the 12th minute, then Tim Cahill added to the tally five minutes later. Steven Pienaar made it a 3-0 game, but Dwight Yorke scored Sunderland’s lone goal just before the half. Everton didn’t let up in the second half, with Cahill and Aiyegbeni each notching a second goal while Andy Johnson and Leon Osman added to the total, giving Everton the 7-1 victory.

3-0 Over Liverpool

We already mentioned the Merseyside Derby and the magic of the 2007-08 season. Just a year before that season, though, the Merseyside Derby had one of the best Everton victories in the rivalry’s history. Both Everton and Liverpool found themselves toward the top part of the table, with Everton fighting for a spot in the UEFA Cup while Liverpool was aiming for a Champions League berth.

While both clubs would reach their respective destinations, there was a moment when Everton looked like the Champions League team. On September 9, 2006, Everton shut out Liverpool 3-0 in front of the Goodison Park crowd of more than 40,000. Everton scored twice in the first half, adding one more to make it a 3-0 victory. Andrew Johnson netted two of those goals while TIm Cahill scored the other.

European Cup Finals

Prior to the UEFA Champions League, the European Cup Winners Cup was the top prize in all of European football. Everton qualified for the 1984-85 edition of the tournament and advanced past UCD with a 1-0 victory in the first round. Everton then shut out Internacional Slovnaft Bratislava 4-0 before defeating Fortuna Sittard 5-0. In the semis, Everton won 1-3 in the second leg after a scoreless first leg.

The finals then pitted Everton against Rapid Wien, with more than 38,000 attending the final in Italy. After a scoreless first half, Andrew Gray made it a 1-0 match in favor of Everton in the 57th minute. 15 minutes later, Trevor Steven added a second goal. Hans Krankl got Rapid Wien within one during the 85th minute, but Kevin Sheedy scored just one minute later to put the game away and clinch the title.

Rooney Comes Alive

Every legend has to have that moment when they become a household name, and October 19, 2002 was that day for Wayne Rooney. During the 2002-03 Premier League season, Everton was considered to be an above-average team with an outside shot at the Champions League. Things got off to a rough start, however, as the team had just three wins against two draws and four losses heading into their matchup with Arsenal.

Arsenal got off to a hot start that day with Freddie Ljungberg scoring in the eighth minute, but Tomasz Radzinski knotted things up in the 22nd minute. After four yellow cards and no goals between the two clubs, the 90th minute saw the emergence of Wayne Rooney. He netted the winning goal, giving Everton the much-needed win and launching his legacy.

Everton Football Club has enjoyed a lot of success as one of the oldest clubs in English football, becoming a staple of the top flight league throughout almost all of that time. Over the years, there have been some incredible moments for Everton fans, from winning league titles to international competitions. Let’s take a look at Everton’s illustrious history and determine the five best moments for Everton fans around the world.

The Winners Cup Title (1985)

During the days of the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the best of the best throughout the continent competed in a tournament to claim the ultimate title. In the 1984-85 edition of the tournament, Everton advanced past UCD in the first round, Internacional Slovnaft Bratislava in the second round, then Fortuna Sittard in the quarterfinals.

The true test came in the semis when Everton faced Bayern Munich and advanced after a 3-1 win in the second leg. In Moscow for the final against Rapid Wien, neither team scored in the first half, but it didn’t take long for Everton to take the lead. Andrew Gray, Trevor Steven, and Kevin Sheedy all scored in the second half, giving Everton the title on a 3-1 victory.

The 2009 FA Cup Semis

For the 2008-09 FA Cup, Everton joined in during the third round proper, defeating Macclesfield Town 1-0 in front of just 6,000 people. Not many felt that Everton would get much further, especially with Liverpool awaiting them. However, Everton would win the replay after a 1-1 draw in the opening match, defeating them 1-0. Everton then defeated Aston Villa (3-1) and Middlesbrough (2-1) to vault them into the semis.

What went down next was one of the most thrilling games in Everton history, even if they would go on to lose to Chelsea in the final. Everton and Manchester United played to a 0-0 draw in regulation time during the semis, and extra time didn’t result in any goals, either. Heading into penalties, both clubs would miss the opening kick, but Everton took the 1-0 advantage after the second. Everton ended up making four in a row to win the match and place the club into the finals.

The 1995 FA Cup Final

Heading into the 1994-95 FA Cup, Everton had won the tournament just once in the previous 20 tries. After defeating Derby County in its first match (1-0), they went on to defeat Bristol City (1-0), Norwich City (5-0), and Newcastle United (1-0). Everton finally surrendered a goal in the semifinal, but still comfortably defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1.

Manchester United awaited Everton after having defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 in a replay. Everton struck first in the final with Paul Rideout scoring in the 30th minute. Despite several strong attempts, neither side would net another goal and Everton went on to claim the FA Cup with Dave Watson as the Man of the Match.

Second FL Title in Three Years

Between 1933 and 1984, Everton won the Football League just twice (1963 and 1970), but fortunes would change during the mid-1980s. Everton won the title in the 1984-85 season, though they would come up just two points short of a repeat the following year with Everton taking the title. In the 1986-87 season, Everton only had four wins after the first 10 matches, including losing three in a row.

Thankfully, Everton rebounded in the second half of the season, losing and drawing just once each in the final 12 matchdays. Everton finished the season with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, capping off a season that saw the club have a nine-point advantage over runners-up Liverpool. The season would be the second title in three seasons, while also proving to be the most recent title in England’s top league.

Avoiding Disaster in 2022

Everton was relegated in 1951 for just the second time in club history, and it looked like there would be a third relegation during the 2021-22 season. The season was filled with a lot of adversity for Everton as the team was losing money hand over fist while setting up a move into a new stadium. Heading into the 37th (and penultimate) matchday, Everton was on the brink of relegation as they faced Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace would strike first with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring in the 21st minute while Jordan Ayew netted a second in the 36th minute. Everton turned it on in the second half, though, with Michael Keane and Richarlison scoring to equalize the match. Finally, in the 85th minute, Dominica Calvert-Lewin scored to give Everton the 3-2 edge that would hold up and keep the club from being relegated.

Since its founding in 1878, Everton Football Club has seen a lot of highlight moments that include league and continental trophies. However, there have also been plenty of moments that fans would rather forget. Let’s take a look at Everton’s history and (unfortunately, for some) find the five moments that were the worst for Everton fans.

A String of Poor Managers

Carlo Ancelotti has managed seemingly every major European football team throughout his prestigious career, and that includes Everton. Ancelotti took on the managerial role for Everton in 2019 but left in 2021 to start a second stint with Real Madrid. His departure left Everton in a rough place after finishing with a record of 31 wins, 14 draws, and 22 losses in his 67 matches.

The following two managers would not last for long. Rafael Benitez took over in June 2021 but was fired just six months later after seven wins in 22 matches. Duncan Ferguson lost his only match as caretaker, then Frank Lampard won just 12 of his 43 matches. His firing after just less than a year capped off a string of managers winning under 1/3rd of their matches.

Dropping the Football League Cup

The EFL Cup dates back to 1960 and takes on any club that wants to participate within the top four levels of English football. Everton has been part of the tournament on many occasions but has not won it. The first time that Everton made the final came in 1977, but ultimately lost to Aston Villa on a second replay after 0-0 and 1-1 draws. In 1984, Everton had another chance, and yet again, lost in a replay.

In front of 100,000 people at Wembley Stadium, neither Everton nor Liverpool scored, setting up a replay three days later at Maine Road in front of about half as many people. Graeme Souness scored in the 21st minute for Liverpool, and that would prove to be the only goal in the match. Everton has yet to return to the EFL Cup finals science then.

Last Place Finish

It has been a very long time since Everton was relegated from the First Division/Premier League. The last time came in 1950-51, and the club wasn’t just relegated but finished in last place altogether. What makes things worse, though, is that Everton had a chance to avoid relegation in the final match of the season. Taking on Sheffield Wednesday, Everton needed either a draw or a win to remain in the top division.

Instead, Everton came out completely flat. The club ended up losing 0-6, meaning that they won just one match between the start of March and the end of the season. At the bottom of the standings, Everton finished with 32 points, tying them with Chelsea and the same Sheffield Wednesday team that decimated them. However, Chelsea stayed in the First Division thanks to a better goal differential.

2009 FA Cup Final

Early in the history of the FA Cup, Everton had several successful runs at the title, but those have been few and far between since the mid-1990s. The best chance at the FA Cup came in the 2008-09 season, with Everton entering the tournament in the third round. There, Everton defeated Macclesfield Town 1-0, then pulled off a big win over Liverpool in a replay. They then got through Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, and Manchester United to advance to the final against Chelsea.

It looked like the FA Cup drought for Everton was finally coming to an end as Louis Saha scored in the first minute. Unfortunately, Everton wouldn’t score the rest of the match while Didier Drogba tied things up 20 minutes later. After more than 50 minutes of no scoring, Frank Lampard netted a goal late in the match to give Chelsea the 2-1 lead. That score would hold up, with Chelsea taking the FA Cup.

The Slow Downturn Hits Rock Bottom

Everton won the top division in the 1986-87 season, capping off an incredible climb to the top that had been years in the making. However, there was a slow crawl toward the bottom of the Premier League table that had a couple of low points. The biggest low point came in the 1993-94 season. In the years between then and the First Division title, Everton had dropped to fourth, ninth, 12th, and 13th in the final standings.

In this season, Everton had dropped all the way down to 17th. Attendance was poor as Everton won just 12 matches through the year, losing 22 times en route to a measly 44 points. The worst moment was the penultimate match against Leeds United, which saw Everton lose 3-0. Thankfully, Everton was able to pull off a 3-2 win against Wimbledon in the final match, avoiding relegation.

Everton is one of the oldest football clubs in England and a founding member of the Football League which is now the English Premier League. During its long stretch that dates back to 1878, there have been some terrific footballers to play for Everton, with these five standing out as the best. Before we start the list, some of the players who just missed the cut include Alan Ball, Kevin Sheedy, Bob Latchford, Leighton Baines, and Gary Lineker.

Kevin Ratcliffe

Starting off the list is Kevin Ratcliffe, who spent the majority of his career playing with Everton. The Welshman came up with the Everton youth program and made his professional debut in 1980. He remained with the club for 12 years before spending the final three years of his career playing with several clubs including Dundee, Cardiff City, and Chester City before retiring in 1995 and beginning a managerial career.

Ratcliffe is fifth all-time in Everton history with 494 matches played during his long stint, and even as someone who primarily played defense, Ratcliffe was able to net two goals. With Ratcliffe, Everton won the Football League First Division twice in three years and the FA Cup in 1983-84. What’s even more impressive was that he was able to help guide Everton to four straight FA Charity Shields from 1984 to 1987.

Brian Labone

There was a time when playing for just one club for your entire career was fairly common, and that was the case for Brian Labone. The Liverpool native was 17 years old when he decided to skip college and play for Everton, and he made his professional debut the following year in 1958. Labone played for 13 years with Everton before retiring in 1971 after injuring himself following years of flirting with retirement.

With Labone, Everton won the First Division twice (1962-63 and 1969-70). He also won an FA Cup and a pair of FA Charity Shields. Labone was named to the Everton all-time team in 2004, and upon his death in 2006, many mourned his loss saying that he was perhaps the biggest staple of the club throughout his playing years.

Neville Southall

The second Welshman on the list and third-ranked overall is Neville Southall, a man who had been a professional footballer for years prior to joining Everton. He began his career in 1973 with Llandudno Town, then moved on to Bangor City, Conwy United, Winsford United, and Bury throughout the rest of the decade. He became part of Everton in 1981 and remained with the club until 1998, but played professionally for another few years after departing.

Southall holds the record (by a large margin) for matches played wearing an Everton kit with 751. That’s nearly 200 more than second-place Labone. Southall was a fantastic goalkeeper who helped Everton win the First Division twice in 1985 and 1987. He was named to the First Division Team of the Year in four straight years and won a trio of Charity Shields during his Hall of Fame career.

Graeme Sharp

Taking the silver medal on the list is Graeme Sharp, a Scotsman who began his playing career with Dumbarton in 1978. Sharp remained there for just two years before joining Everton and would stick around for just over a decade. Sharp finished his career with six years at Oldham Athletic and a brief stint at Bangor City where he became manager after his retirement in 1997.

Sharp is not only second on this list, but he’s second all-time in goals scored for Everton with 159. While this puts him far behind the number-one player, he still has a comfortable lead over anyone else behind him. Sharp won the First Division twice with Everton, as well as the Charity Shield four times. He led all Everton players in scoring in four seasons while also being named to the First Division Team of the Year in 1987-88.

Dixie Dean

The top spot on the list goes to the most prominent goalscorer in Everton history, Dixie Dean. Dean was born in Birkenhead in 1907 and had such an impact on the club that his statue sits outside of Goodison Park. Dean began his career with Tranmere Rovers in 1923, and two years later joined Everton for his 12-year stint. Though he wrapped up his playing days with three other clubs between 1938 and 1940, Dean will always be synonymous with Everton.

Dean netted an insane 386 goals while a member of Everton, which is 227 more than Graeme Sharp. Dean helped Everton win the First Division in both 1928 and 1932 while also winning the FA Cup in 1933. In 2002, Dean became an inaugural member of the English Football Hall of Fame and still holds the record for most goals in an English top-flight season with 60.

Though Everton hasn’t had the type of success that some of the top-flight clubs in England have had, it’s still one of the most well-known brands in the country. That’s because Everton has a very long history and is one of the original major clubs. No other team has been in the top division in England for as many years as Everton, and much of that is because of some solid managers.

Who among those managers was the best, though? Here are our picks for the top five in club history. Before we start the list, some of the managers who just missed the cut include Thomas H. Macintosh, Roberto Martinez, Carlo Ancelotti, Colin Harvey, and Johnny Carey.

David Moyes

Scotsman David Moyes was a prominent player with several clubs during the 1980s and 1990s, including Dunfermline Athletic and Preston North End. After retiring in 1998, he managed the latter club for several years before becoming Everton’s leader for over a decade between 2002 and 2013. Though he’d left for Manchester United in 2013, Moyes accomplished a lot on the way out.

Moyes is the only manager on the list to have managed the club since the 1980s, and one of just four managers to have more than 500 matches under his belt. Moyes won 42.05% of his matches during that time but surprisingly didn’t win any major titles. Still, Moyes was able to get Everton out of a very dark age in club history.

Will Cuff

Known as “Old Cuff”, Will Cuff was the chairman for Everton throughout most of the 1920s and 1930s. Unlike the other managers on the list, Cuff doesn’t have a well-documented personal history, but his success as the club’s manager is well-noted. Prior to becoming the club’s chairman, Cuff was the manager from 1901 to 1918 during the early days of organized club football in England.

Cuff managed 577 matches with Everton, which is third all-time on the club’s list. Cuff won 275 of those matches, which is good for a 47.66% winning rate. Cuff won the Division One title once, as well as the FA Cup. What’s interesting is the two trophies came nearly a decade apart, meaning that there was quite a bit of downtime between the beginning and end of Cuff’s tenure, but it was worth the wait.

Harry Catterick

Just like Cuff, Harry Catterick is one of those names that younger people won’t be familiar with as his playing and managerial days came many decades ago. Catterick played for Everton and Crewe Alexandra following World War II then managed the latter club during the end of his playing days. After spending time with Rochdale and Sheffield Wednesday as a manager, he led Everton from 1961 to 1973.

Catterick won more than 46 percent of his matches with Everton, which is a fine accomplishment since he’s second all-time in matches managed at 594. Out of those many wins, Catterick was able to secure the Division One championship twice, while also adding an FA Cup and a pair of Charity Shields.

Dick Molyneux

Yet another name that you have to go far back in the record books for, Dick Molyneux was born in Prescot and became the Everton manager just more than a decade after its founding. Molyneux led the club from 1889 to 1901 prior to managing Brentford for the final years of his life before passing away in 1906 at just 48 years old. During his Everton days, though, Molyneux was able to accomplish a lot.

Molyneux is one of just two managers to have a stint last for more than just a couple of matches while retaining a winning percentage of .500. Molyneux won 194 of his 386 matches, which is good enough to put him at number two on the list despite his lack of trophies. Still, Molyneux was able to win one Division One title.

Howard Kendall

Ryton native Howard Kendall was a member of Everton as a player for seven years between the 1960s and 1970s while also spending time for other clubs which included Birmingham City, Preston North End, and Stoke City. After retiring in 1981 as a player-manager with Blackburn Rovers, Kendall became the manager for Everton. Overall he had three stints which were from 1981 to 1987, 1990 to 1993, and 1997 to 1998.

While there were other managers who had hundreds more matches under their belt than Kendall, he was able to accomplish more in his time. Kendall had a 54.14% winning rate as manager, winning two Division One titles during his first stint. Kendall also won an FA Cup, a UEFA Winners’ Cup and a trio of Charity Shields, though his second and third stints weren’t as remarkable.

Newcastle United has remained part of the top division in English football throughout almost the entirety of the club’s history. Over the years, Newcastle United has had some amazing players, but there have also been some flops. Let’s take a look at Newcastle’s history, which dates back to 1892, to find the worst signings in club history. Before we start the list, some of the players who just missed the cut include Albert Luque, Xisco, Henri Saivet, and Marcelino.

Christian Bassedas

We start the list with Argentinian Christian Bassedas, a midfielder who spent a decade with his original club Velez Sarsfield. During that time, Bassedas made more than 260 league appearances and won Argetina’s top division four times while also adding a Copa Libertadores, Intercontinental Cup, and more. In 2000, Newcastle United signed Bassedas to a massive £3.5 million contract.

However, Bassedas didn’t last very long with Newcastle. Over the next three years, Bassedas made just two dozen league appearances with the club and netted a single goal. Bassedas was also loaned out to Tenerife during that time and decided to retire from football altogether at just 30 years old. During that time, Newcastle didn’t win any trophies and Bassedas didn’t earn any individual awards.

Jean-Alain Boumsong

Jean-Alain Boumsong has been around the world throughout his playing career, starting with Le Havre in France by way of Cameroon. After more than 40 appearances, Boumsong headed to Auxerre for four years. Boumsong then had a brief stint with Rangers, having joined for free. That wasn’t the case for Newcastle, though, as the club gave him £8 million and a contract of over five years.

Boumsong played in 47 matches over his career with Newcastle with the defender not scoring any goals. Boumsong didn’t have any honors, and the club didn’t win any trophies. Even if he got off to a decent start, off-the-field issues kept Boumsong from playing up to his potential and things fell apart during the second year. In 2006, Boumsong was sent to Juventus before ending his career with Lyon and Panathinaikos.

Yoshinori Muto

Japan has produced a handful of terrific football players over the year, but not all of them have lived up to the potential they had on an international level. Yoshinori Muto is one of those players, and the Tokyo native was a standout with FC Tokyo where he netted 23 goals in his 51 league matches. After spending three years with Mainz 05, Muto was acquired by Newcastle for £9.5 million and was given a four-year deal.

The scoring dropped dramatically for Muto when he made the switch, and he netted just one goal in his 25 league appearances. During his tenure with Newcastle, Muto spent much of his time being loaned out to Eibar. In 2021, Muto signed with Vissel Kobe, making his triumphant return to Japan where he refound his form.

Titus Bramble

The top two players on the list are the only ones that are actually from England. The first is Titus Bramble, an Ipswich native who made his professional debut in his hometown where he spent four years. Bramble also made a couple of appearances for Colchester United before Newcastle United signed him to a massive £6 million contract.

Bramble was able to make more than 100 league appearances during his five years with Newcastle, but his time wasn’t as productive as the club had hoped for. The only trophy that Newcastle won during that time was the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup while Bramble didn’t earn any individual honors. In 2007, he joined Wigan Athletic before wrapping up his career in 2013 with Sunderland outside of one appearance with Stowmarket Town.

Michael Owen

Of course, the top spot on the list has to belong to Michael Owen. The striker, of course, is one of the most notable players from the late 1990s and early 2000s era of English football. Owen started his career with eight years at Liverpool, netting 118 goals during his 216 Premier League matches. After spending some time with Real Madrid, Owen was acquired by Newcastle United for a record £16.8 million.

Owen suffered a lot of issues throughout his brief Newcastle career, including a broken foot and ACL injury. The time that Owen missed resulted in the club losing millions. In the end, Owen said that he regretted signing with Newcastle and that he should’ve signed with Liverpool. Owen finished how Newcastle United career with just 71 EPL matches and 26 goals. He ended his career with brief stints with Manchester United and Stoke City before his 2013 retirement.

Newcastle United has an extensive history that dates back to 1892 when Newcastle’s West End and East End merged, and since then, there have been thousands of matches played by the club. Out of all of those matches, some stand out as being the best in the club’s history. From winning major trophies to beating rivals that had gotten the upper hand on them before, these matches highlight the peaks of Newcastle United.

Biggest Premier League Win

Newcastle United has had a lot of success throughout its history, but they’ve never really been the type of club to completely decimate another club in Premier League play. That would change on the eighth matchday of the 1999-2000 season, however. On that day, Newcastle took on Sheffield Wednesday, and Aaron Hughes made it a 1-0 match in favor of Newcastle in the 11th minute.

Alan Shearer then added three more goals in the first half, including a penalty kick in the 33rd minute. Newcastle didn’t let up in the second half, with Shearer scoring two more goals while Kieron Dyer and Gary Speed each netted one. Newcastle United wrapped up the match with an 8-0 victory, which would be their largest in Premier League history. Of course, Sheffield Wednesday would be relegated at the end of the season while Newcastle finished 11th.

1955 FA Cup Final

Newcastle United has won the FA Cup six times throughout its history, but those came many decades ago. Newcastle last won the FA Cup in 1955, and the finals went down as one of the best matches in Newcastle’s history. The club joined in the tournament during the third round, defeating Plymouth Argyle 1-0. They then went on to defeat Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield Town, and York City to reach the finals.

There, Manchester City awaited them after defeating Sunderland. Newcastle stunned all 100,000 people at Wembley in the first minute of the finals when Jackie Milburn scored a goal in the first minute. Just before the half, Robert Johnstone tied it up, but Newcastle came out strong in the second half. Robert Mitchell and George Hannah scored in the 52nd and 59th minute, respectively, giving Newcastle United the FA Cup.

Fairs Cup Champions

Prior to being replaced by the UEFA Europa League Cup, teams played for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. The tournament was held in cities that hosted trade fairs but then blossomed into a popular tournament before being replaced in the early 1970s. During one of the final Inter-Cities Fairs Cup tourneys, Newcastle United won the title.

On their way to the final, Newcastle defeated Sporting Clube de Portugal, Real Zaragoza, Vitoria de Setubal, and Rangers FC on their way to the finals. They faced Hungarian team Ujpest FC, and in the first leg of the finals all but clinched the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. After no goals from either club in the first half, Robert Moncur scored twice in 10 minutes while James Scott netted a goal to make it a 3-0 victory.

Reaching the EFL Finals

In 1976, Newcastle United reached the finals of the Football League/EFL Cup, but it would take nearly a half-century until the club returned. Finally, in 2022-23, Newcastle had a great run during the tournament that took them all the way to the finals. Newcastle joined in the second round, defeating Tranmere Rovers.

They then advanced past Crystal Palace on penalty kicks before beating Bournemouth and Leicester City. Newcastle didn’t win the finals against Manchester United but had a semifinal to remember. In the first leg, Newcastle defeated Southampton 1-0 with Joelinto netting a goal in the 73rd minute. In the second leg, Sean Longstaff made sure that Newcastle made it to the finals by scoring in the fifth and 21st minutes. Southampton scored in the 29th minute, but Newcastle hung on to advance.

Revenge Against Man U

Manchester United, one of the biggest names in the Premier League, has often been the thorn in Newcastle’s side while the club tries to make its way to the top of the standings. The 1995-96 Premier League season was no exception, as Man U kept Newcastle from winning its first Football League/Premier League title in nearly 70 years. Not only that, but Man U had beaten Newcastle 4-0 to win the 1996 Charity Shield.

On the 10th matchday of the 1996-97 Premier League season, Newcastle got its revenge. Riding a six-match win streak into the game, Newcastle got off to a good start when Darren Peacock scored in the 12th minute. The club added four more goals, all of them scored by different players, finishing the revenge match with a 5-0 win in front of a sold-out St. James’ Park crowd.

Newcastle United has had a lot of ups and downs over its history that dates back to 1892. Today, though, we want to focus solely on the best moments for the Magpies. Here are five of those moments that every fan should know about, and perhaps go back and watch when they’re feeling down.

EFL Cup Semifinal Win

Known as the Carabao Cup for the 2022-23 season, the EFL Cup is open to all of the teams in the Premier League and English Football League. After Liverpool and Chelsea reached the final the previous year, many assumed that the two clubs would be in contention once again. Newcastle United wasn’t given much of a chance, but they made some noise early on in the tournament with wins over Tranmere Rovers and Crystal Palace.

Newcastle’s run continued with a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth, then a 2-0 victory over Leicester City in the quarterfinals. The Cinderella story brought Newcastle United into the semis with Southampton, and the club won the first leg 1-0. Newcastle didn’t let up in the second match with Sean Longstaff scoring two first-half goals to seal the deal. It sent them to the final against Manchester United, and though they lost, it was still an amazing run.

Reaching the FA Cup Finals

Winning the FA Cup has been something that has escaped Newcastle United for a long time. The club dominated the event during the early 1950s, winning three times in five years. Since 1955, however, Newcastle has yet to win the big tourney. It seemed that the drought may be coming to an end in 1998 when Newcastle United had a great run through the group stage and bracket.

Newcastle joined the tournament by defeating Everton in the third round, then defeated Stevenage Borough in a replay. Newcastle then defeated Tranmere Rovers 1-0 and Barnsley 3-1 to reach the semis. Newcastle faced Sheffield United at Old Trafford, and neither team scored in the first half. Finally, Alan Shearer netted a 60th-minute goal to put Newcastle ahead 1-0, and the match would end that way. Newcastle lost to Arsenal in the final and then in the 1999 final, but fans were enjoying the success of the late 1990s.

Champions League Clincher

The UEFA Champions League and Newcastle United unfortunately haven’t gone hand-in-hand over the years, but that doesn’t mean the club hasn’t reached the league a few times throughout its history. One of the most exciting seasons that Newcastle has had came in the 1996-97 EPL season, which interestingly started with two losses in three matches. Newcastle went on to win seven straight, though, putting them in contention for the top of the table.

Coming into the final week of the season, Newcastle needed a win over Nottingham Forest, and they needed to win big. Newcastle scored four times in the first half, including two goals in four minutes from Leslie Ferdinand. In the 77th minute, Robert Elliott netted another to make it a 5-0 score, giving Newcastle the tiebreaker on goal differential with both Arsenal and Liverpool, putting the club in the Champions League.

Promotion to the Premier League

Newcastle United was in a bad way during the early 1990s. The club played in the second division of the Football League and was nearly relegated to the third division thanks to just 52 points in 46 matches. Had they scored four fewer points, Newcastle would have indeed been sent down. The following year saw the formation of the English Premier League, with Newcastle sent to League Division One.

The club needed a big push to earn their way back to the Premier League, and it only took one season to go from 20th in the second division to number one. Newcastle clinched an EPL spot with its 89th point of the season, finishing with 96. The promotion marked a return to glory for Newcastle as the club started to find its winning way and enjoyed success throughout the rest of the decade.

Andy Cole’s Record Goal

Any time that a player has been able to score 30 or more goals in an English Premier League, it has been headline news. Scoring 34, though, that’s something that’s extremely rare. In the history of the league, it has only happened twice. If you were to ask the casual fan who the first to score 34 in a season would be, they might guess someone that played for Manchester United, Chelsea, or one of the other ‘big boys’ in the EPL.

However, the first 34-goal season belongs to Andy Cole in his first of two seasons with Newcastle United. Heading into the final match against Arsenal, Cole was looking for just one more goal. At the start of the second half, Cole did just that in front of 32,216 at St. James’ Park en route to Newcastle’s 2-0 win.

Newcastle United has had a very interesting history that’s been filled with some amazing moments, but also some heartbreaking moments. Today, while you might not want to hear about it as a Newcastle fan, we’re going to focus on the bad. Here are our picks for the five worst moments for Newcastle United fans.

Keegan’s Second Departure

Kevin Keegan came in at a time when Newcastle United needed him the most. The former star player for the club took over as manager in 1992, which was his first managerial job. During that time, not only did Newcastle bounce from the second division back into the Premier League, but they also contended for the title as they finished in the top three in three out of four seasons.

After coming in second place two years in a row, though, Keegan became distressed and resigned as manager in 1997. He finally returned in 2008, but Mike Ashley (more on him in a moment) wouldn’t give him the financial support that he needed. With that, Keegan left for a second time, with this one hurting much more as he managed just 22 matches. Fans were predictably upset that his second tenure was wasted by the front office.

Sports Direct Scar

St. James’ Park is known as the Cathedral on the Hill and has been the home of Newcastle United football since 1892. After Sir John Hall decided to sell the club in 2007, it was acquired by billionaire Mike Ashley, the former CEO of Sports Direct. The company is now known as Frasers Group, but Sports Direct was plastered everywhere after Ashley decided that St. James’ Park wasn’t “commercially attractive.”

With that, he announced that the stadium would be renamed Sports Direct Arena, and that was the start of a corporate nightmare for fans. During matches, fans would tear down any sign that they saw with Sports Direct on it as a ‘direct’ protest of the name change. Of all companies, it was a payday loan business named Wonga.com that bought the naming rights to return it to St. James’ Park instead of their own name.

So Close (Twice)

Newcastle United was once a powerful figure in the FA Cup, winning the tournament three times during the 1950s. Since 1955, however, the club has not won the tournament, and in two consecutive years came very close. The first was in 1998, with Newcastle taking on Arsenal in front of nearly 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium. Unfortunately, the club surrendered an early lead and lost 2-0.

The following year, Newcastle had a chance at redemption after defeating Crystal Palace, Bradford City, Blackburn Rovers, Everton, and Tottenham. In this edition, Newcastle took on Manchester United but didn’t appear ready to play. Edward Sheringham scored in the 11th minute to put Man U ahead 1-0, and Paul Scholes made it a 2-0 score that would hold up. For Newcastle, those two chances at winning the FA Cup have been the only tries since winning it all in 1955.

Goodbye Bobby

The late Bobby Robson managed a lot of clubs after his nearly two-decade-long playing career came to an end in the late 1960s. After managing Porto, FC Barcelona, and PSV Eindhoven, Robson took over Newcastle United in 1999. During that time, Robson was able to help Newcastle finish toward the top of the standings, which was something unfamiliar for years and even marked a return to the Champions League.

After a slow start in the 2004-05 season, however, the club decided to sack Robson, and that decision was met with a lot of controversy by fans. Even Sir John Hall, the club’s owner at the time, said he will never forgive the players who addressed the front office and said that Robson needed to go. “They were young people earning good salaries thinking ‘Who is this old man trying to teach us football?’” Hall said. “But Bobby knew everything…it was just disappointing when it all went wrong.”

The Relegation Match

Newcastle United has had multiple spells in the Second Division, but each one seems to hurt more than the previous one. Perhaps the hardest one to swallow came in the Premier League season. Between February 7, 2009, and the end of the season, Newcastle won just one match, and that came on May 11 against Middlesbrough. In the penultimate match against Fulham, Newcastle lost 1-0 to set up a do-or-die situation.

If Newcastle were to draw with Aston Villa, the club would avoid relegation by way of goal differential against Hull City. With a win, the club was guaranteed to avoid relegation as they would have had more points than either Sunderland or Hull City. Instead, the club got neither result. Daniel Cousin scored in the 81st minute for Hull City, and Newcastle couldn’t respond, thus giving them the loss and relegation to the Second Division thanks to just 34 points on the season.