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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.

Ever since its founding in 1892, Newcastle United has been one of the most prestigious football clubs in all of England. Newcastle has been part of the top division in English football in almost every year of existence, and throughout the years has had some amazing players. Which of those are the best, though? Here are our picks for the top five players in Newcastle United history. Before we start the list, some of the players who just missed the cut include Frank Hudspeth, Shay Given, Frank Clark, Len White, and Bill McCracken.

Jimmy Lawrence

While many of the players on the list were around in more recent years, that wasn’t the case for Jimmy Lawrence. The Scotsman was born in 1879 and his professional career began at the start of the 20th century with Patrick Athletic. After a brief stint with the club (as well as Glasgow Perthshire and Hibernian), he joined Newcastle United for the final 18 years of his career as the club’s goalkeeper.

Lawrence holds the Newcastle United record for matches played, appearing in 496 of them, good for most by a full 24 matches. Lawrence helped Newcastle United win the Football League championship in three years out of five, and he also won the 1910 FA Cup. Because he was around in the days before individual awards were more frequent, Lawrence didn’t win many, but he certainly would have by today’s standards.

Paul Gascoigne

Paul Gascoigne was one of the finest midfielders in Newcastle history, and he started with the youth program in 1980 at just 13 years old. Gascoigne then made his professional debut in 1985 with the club, spending three years there before heading to Tottenham Hotspur. Some of the other clubs he played with throughout his lengthy career include Lazio, Rangers, and Everton, before retiring in 2004.

Gascoigne doesn’t find himself toward the top of the list for most matches played or most goals scored, but he did leave his mark on Newcastle during his brief time. Though his personal issues would derail his career, Gascoigne still had a fine playing career. He won the FA Youth Cup with Newcastle in 1985 and was named to the First Division Team of the Year twice while also named the Young Player of the Year.

Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan was born in Armthorpe in 1951 and was a member of the Scunthorpe United youth program. He started his professional career with the club in 1968, and after three years made his way to Liverpool. Keegan then spent time with Hamburger SV and Southampton before joining Newcastle United in 1982.

Though he didn’t win any club titles with Newcastle, Keegan had a fine career with the club. He was named the North-East FWA Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (1983 and 1984) while also being named the Players’ Player of the Year. Prior to his time with Newcastle, Keegan won the Ballon d’Or Trophy in consecutive years (1978 and 1979). He then went on to manage Newcastle United, winning a First Division title.

Jackie Milburn

Taking the second spot on the list is Jackie Milburn, a forward from Ashington who began his professional career with Newcastle United. Milburn joined the senior squad in 1943 and remained with the club for 14 years. In 1957 he departed for Linfield where he would spend another three years before wrapping up his playing days with Yiewsley in 1962.

With Milburn on the squad, Newcastle United would win the FA Cup three times in five seasons between 1951 and 1955. Milburn retired as the second-leading scorer in Newcastle history, scoring 200 on the dot in 397 appearances. In 2006, Milburn was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame due to his contributions to the sport.

Alan Shearer

The top spot on the list belongs to Newcastle upon Tyne native Alan Shearer. The striker’s career began with Southampton in 1988, and he made his way to Blackburn Rovers for four years in the 1990s. In 1996, Shearer joined Newcastle United, and he would remain there for the final decade of his career. He even managed Newcastle on an interim basis in 2009, three years after his retirement.

Shearer is the all-time leading scorer for Newcastle United, scoring six more goals (206) than Milburn throughout his career. Shearer did that in just 405 appearances, giving him an impressive 0.51 goals per game. He helped Newcastle reach the finals of the FA Cup in back-to-back years in the late 1990s while also being named to the PFA Team of the Year several times. In 2004, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Newcastle United might not have the longest list of trophies in Premier League history, but the club is still one of the oldest in English football. Newcastle was founded in 1892 and has been part of the top division nearly every year since then.

Along the way, there have been some truly great managers to lead the squad, with these five men being the best in club history. Before we start the list, some of the managers who just missed the cut include Alan Pardew, Tom Mathew, Arthur Cox, and George Martin.

Kevin Keegan

When you think of Kevin Keegan, there’s probably a different club that comes to mind. After he started his professional career with Scunthorpe United during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Keegan made his way to Liverpool where he spent six years and played in over 230 matches. Keegan then spent time with Hamburger SV and Southampton before becoming a member of Newcastle United from 1982 to 1984. Eight years after retiring, he became the club’s manager for five years.

Keegan is the only man in Newcastle United history to have more than 100 matches managed while also being able to secure a winning percentage of over 50. In fact, Keegan won nearly 55 percent of his matches and even led Newcastle United to a second-place finish in the Premier League in 1995-96. His club won the First Division in 1993, and he wrapped up with 138 career wins.

Bobby Robson

Sacriston native Bobby Robson spent much of his playing career with Fulham while also having a long stint with West Bromwich Albion. He wrapped up his playing career in 1968 as a player-manager in Canada before moving on to Fulham to become their manager for a brief period. Robson had several different tenures as a manager, ending his career in 2004 after spending five years leading Newcastle United.

Robson is fourth all-time on the list for matches managed with Newcastle United at 255, though his winning percentage is actually better than those ahead of him. Robson won 46.67% of those matches, though the First Division title escaped him. Robson’s squads nearly won the Intertoto Cup, as well as the UEFA Cup in 2004.

Stan Seymour

Stan Seymour had a lengthy playing career that lasted nearly two decades, almost all of it split between Greenock Morton and, of course, Newcastle United. Seymour retired in 1929 after spending nearly the entire decade with the club, netting 73 goals in 242 league matches. After 10 years away from football, Seymour would return to Newcastle United to become manager. He had three stints as the club’s manager (1939-1947, 1950-1954, and 1956-1958), and managed no other clubs.

Seymour had 338 total matches as a manager, winning nearly 40 percent of those contests. He also won the FA Cup twice during that time. Unfortunately, Seymour wasn’t able to win the First Division as a manager but did do so as a player in 1927. He lived for another two decades following his retirement from football, passing away on Christmas Eve in 1978.

Joe Harvey

During the 1930s and 1940s, Joe Harvey spent time with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bournemouth, and Bradford City as a player before joining Newcastle United in 1945. He’d spend the rest of his playing career with the club, retiring in 1953 after more than 220 appearances. Harvey then became a manager who had stops in Crook Town, Barrow, and Workington before returning to Newcastle United for the final 13 years of his career.

Harvey’s winning percentage wasn’t the greatest at 37.9%, but he brought a sense of stability during a time when Newcastle United really needed it. Harvey managed 591 matches, which is the second-most in the club’s history. Harvey won the Second Division once during his run while also winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and Anglo-Italian Cup. 

Frank Watt

The top manager on the list is one that most younger supporters may have never heard of, but he’s credit with being the “man who made Newcastle United”. Frank Watt was a massive influence on club football in England and Newcastle United in particular. Watt was named the secretary of the club in 1895 and stayed in that position until the mid-1930s. For more than 30 years, Watt was the manager of the club.

He finished with 1,264 total matches managed, which is far and away the most in the club’s history. That puts him more than 650 ahead of anybody else on the list. Watt won 575 of those matches, giving him a 45.49% winning rate. Watt won the First Division title four times during his career, as well as the Second Division once.

Throughout the history of Atletico Madrid which dates all the way back to 1903, there have been some all-time great players that were brought in thanks to genius signing from the front office. However, there have also been some massive overpays of players who wound up not being worth the millions spent. With that said, here are the five worse signings in Atletico Madrid history. Before we start the list, some of the players who just missed the cut include Valencia Train, Dani Carvahlo, and Carlos Gamarra

Kiki Musampa

While Kiki Musampa was excellent at free kicks, there wasn’t much else that he brought to the table for Atletico Madrid, unfortunately. Musampa, a native of Zaire, began his professional career with Ajax in 1994. After three years with the club, he made his way to Bordeaux and then Malaga where he had 22 goals in 96 league appearances.

Atletico spent €3 million to acquire Musampa from Malaga and gave him a five-year contract. Musampa lasted for just three years, however, and only appeared in 34 league matches as he played more matches for Manchester City on loan than with Atletico. After getting off to a decent start, Musampa was benched and his appearances became more sparse.

Roman Kosecki

The first player on the list is Roman Kosecki, who began his professional career with RKS Mirkow in 1982. Kosecki then made his way to RKS Ursus before breaking into a more visible spotlight with Gwardia Warszawa. The forward also played for Legia Warsaw, Galatasaray, and Osasuna. In July 1993, Atletico Madrid paid a €1.80 million fee to obtain Kosecki from Osasuna, which at the time was a massive deal.

Kosecki got off to a good start with the club, but things wouldn’t last for long. Despite being named the Polish footballer of the year in 1994, Kosecki struggled in the next year of his contract with Atletico Madrid and he was sent to FC Nantes after fewer than 60 league matches. While it wasn’t the most egregious bust of all time, Kosecki cost a ton of money to obtain and didn’t live up to the hype.

Diego Ribas

Diego Ribas (or simply Diego) has been on the list of disappointing signings for a couple of clubs throughout his career. The Brazilian midfielder began his career with Santos and showed a lot of potential, landing with Porto in 2004. Diego then spent three years with Werder Bremen where he was a star but ended up being a disappointment with Juventus. After being signed to VfL Wolfsburg, Diego was loaned to Atletico Madrid, then returned in 2014 for a brief period.

Diego appeared in a total of 43 league matches for Atletico Madrid, scoring just four times over that span. Despite his lack of production, Diego really liked being part of the club. In both of his farewells, he took the time to thank the fans for their support. It wasn’t a tragic signing by any means, but it simply was one that didn’t live up to the hype. For Diego, his time with Atletico was essentially a microcosm of his career.

Hugo Leal

Portuguese midfielder Hugo Leal spent his career with a lot of clubs. In 1997, he made his professional debut with Benfica, and during his two years there was loaned out to Alverca. Prior to playing for Paris Saint-Germain, Salamanca, Porto, and many others, Leal was part of Atletico Madrid for two years. Things went south in a hurry for Atletico Madrid after the acquisition.

In his first year, Leal scored just one goal and was immediately sent off after scoring. The club was relegated that season in an extremely rare occurrence and couldn’t rebound back into La Liga in his second year. Leal didn’t miss a lot of time compared to some of the other poor signings in football history, but the big spending at a time of relegation is one that Atletico fans certainly won’t forget.

Jackson Martinez

Jackson Martinez was tabbed as the next football superstar, and the Colombian forward proved that he could score early on in his career. Martinez started his career with Independiente Medellin, scoring 41 times in his 106 appearances. Martinez then kept the success going with Chiapas and Porto. With the latter club, Martinez scored a whopping 67 times in his 90 league matches.

Martinez was given a four-year contract, with Atletico spending €35 million to acquire his services. He ended up not blending well with the playstyle, and struggled to find the starting lineup, let alone the net. Martinez played in just 15 La Liga matches for Atletico, scoring only twice, before he was sent to Guangzhou Evergrande in China before ending his playing days with Portimonense.

Atletico Madrid was founded in 1903 and since then has been one of the most successful teams in Spanish history. Atletico has had well over 1,000 matches throughout club history, with some of those matches standing out as the club’s best. Let’s take a deep dive into Atletico Madrid’s history, highlighting the five matches that had the biggest impact on the club, between winning titles and beating top rivals.

Clinching La Liga in 2021

Atletico Madrid had been in a battle with Real Madrid throughout the entire 2020-21 La Liga season for first place. For the first few months of the season, Atletico had lost just one match, and it came at the hands of Real. In their second match, the two clubs tied 1-1, and came into the final matchday within two points of each other. Atletico was ahead of Real by two points and had Valladolid in the final week.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid defeated Villarreal to force the issue, meaning that Atletico had to draw or win. Things looked grim at first as Plano scored for Valladolid in the 18th minute, and Atletico didn’t score in the first half of the match. Finally, Angel Correa evened things up, lifting the club’s hopes. 10 minutes later, Luis Suarez scored to give Atletico a 2-1 lead, essentially clinching the title despite six yellow cards that followed to finish the match for Atletico.

Opening the 1955-56 Season

Though Atletico Madrid didn’t end up winning the 1955-56 La Liga season (finishing 5th), they would start off the season with a tie for the biggest win in club history. Atletico squared off against Hercules FC, and they were able to win 9-0 without scoring in the first half hour. It wasn’t Escudero scored the first of his three goals in the 32nd minute that Atletico got on the board. His two goals and Francisco Molina’s 41st-minute goal gave Atletico a 3-0 lead at the half.

Atletico came out on fire in the second half with Molina netting his second goal in the 47th minute. He then added a third while Miguel scored two himself. Enrique Collar scored his only goal of the game in the 87th minute, giving Atletico the 9-0 lead that they would finish with. If only the rest of the season had gone that well, it would have been an all-time year.

2018 UEFA Super Cup

Football tournaments around the world are all about determining the best of the best in that given year. Perhaps the title that can be considered the “ultimate championship” is the UEFA Super Cup, which takes the winner of the UEFA Champions League and pits them against the winner of the UEFA Europa League.

Atletico had won the UEFA Super Cup twice already by the time 2018 came around, but those wins came against Inter Milan and Chelsea. The 2018 edition saw Atletico square off against their arch-rival Real Madrid. Atletico jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to Diego Costa, but Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos put Real ahead 2-1. Costa tied things up in the 79th minute, and Atletico scored twice in extra time to win the Super Cup.

2013 Copa Del Rey

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have met many times throughout the years outside of La Liga, as evidenced by the 2018 Super Cup. Five years prior, the two met in the finals of another major competition, the Copa del Rey. Leading up to the finals, Atletico Madrid defeated Real Jaen, Getafe, Betis, and Sevilla to take on Real Madrid.

Just like they did in 2018, Real and Atletico needed extra time to determine a tournament winner. This time around, it was Real Madrid who got out to the early lead when Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 14th minute. They wouldn’t score again, though, as Diego Costa evened the match in the 35th minute. In extra time, Miranda netted the deciding goal, giving Atletico Madrid the 2-1 victory and the Copa del Rey.

1962 Winners’ Cup

Prior to the UEFA Super Cup, the best of the best throughout Europe was determined through the European Cup Winners’ Cup. Atletico Madrid had to play in the preliminary round, defeating Sedan 7-3 on aggregate. The club then defeated Leicester City to advance to the quarterfinals. German teams Werder Bremen and Carl Zeiss Jena were the next victims, with Atletico taking on Fiorentina for the title.

The two teams would play in front of 27,000 people at Hampden Park in Glasgow, but finished with a 1-1 draw after neither team scored in the second half. In the replay, Atletico wasted no time scoring, with Miguel Jones Castillo netting one in the eighth minute. Mendonca and Joaquin Peiro Lucas added goals to make a 3-0 championship win.