In April 2020, myself and my brother, David created our individual lists of ranking our top 100 NUFC matches since August 1992.
This series of articles goes through the top 30 from our combined list. The criteria for the rankings in our lists were subjectively about drama, significance, excitement, result and occasion.
15) Newcastle United 1 - 0 Juventus - Champions League First Group Stage (23/10/2002)
Rob: 25th
Dave: 14th
Andy Griffin was the hero of the night as he scored the game's only goal against Italian giants, Juventus to keep Newcastle's Champions League hopes alive.
In the first half, both teams seemed to take cautious approaches and afraid to attack. Just after the hour mark, Andy Griffin latched on the end of Laurent Robert's short free kick and after managing to get a shot away, the ball found the back of the net via the hand of Gianluigi Buffon.
Of course, we all know now that this became the first time that a team qualified from the Champions League group stage after losing their first three matches, the next team to do it was Atalanta this season.
14) Newcastle United 7 - 1 Leicester City - Championship (then Division One) (09/05/1993)
Rob: 27th
Dave: 10th
Newcastle celebrated their Division One winning campaign in spectacular fashion after thrashing Leicester City at St. James' Park on the final day of the season 1992/93 season.
The damage was done almost as soon as the match began. Goals from Rob Lee, two from Andy Cole and a David Kelly hat-trick put Newcastle 6-0 up after half time. Halfway through the second half, Cole became the game's second hat-trick hero as he added a seventh before Steven Walsh scored a late consolation for the Foxes.
At the full time whistle, the party began. Newcastle were in the Premier League for the first time.
13) Newcastle United 3 - 0 Man United - Premier League (04/01/2012)
Rob: 15th
Dave: 18th
It was an epic Wednesday evening for Newcastle fans as they comfortably overcame Man United to secure their first win over the Red Devils in over 10 years.
The Magpies started the better team and certainly seem the more livelier. Demba Ba had a stonewall penalty appeal turned down after being brought down by Rio Ferdinand. Moments later, Ba picked himself and gave Newcastle the lead with a beautiful finish after Shola Ameobi glanced on a header from Tim Krul's long ball forward.
The second half began perfectly for Newcastle as they made some breathing space between them and their opponents as Yohan Cabaye's free kick crossed the line after hitting the crossbar. It was this second goal that seemed to give Man United a wake-up call and were denied by Krul with good goalkeeping and Danny Simpson miraculously blocked Wayne Rooney's close range shot on the line.
With Man United tiring from their efforts to get back in the game, the result was confirmed in the closing stages when Phil Jones bundled the ball into his own net to round off a wonderful evening for Newcastle fans and gave Ba and Cheick Tiote the perfect send off as they were going to be unavailable for the next six weeks because of the African Cup of Nations.
12) Grimsby Town 0 - 2 Newcastle United - Championship (then Division One) (04/05/1993)
Rob: 20th
Dave: 11th
Second half strikes from Andy Cole and David Kelly confirmed the inevitable as Newcastle United secured promotion to the Premier League in Kevin Keegan's first full season as manager on Tyneside.
Keegan's attacking style of play was pleasing on the eye to the fans and, following a goalless first half, Cole broke the deadlock just a matter of seconds into the second half. Late on in the game, Grimsby were desperately searching for an equalising goal which enabled Newcastle to hit them on the counter attack and Kelly made sure of the result by scoring the second after going round the goalkeeper.
The journey back to Tyneside from Cleethorpes will have been sweet indeed as Newcastle, who had been top of the Division One table since September, secured their place in the big time.
11) Newcastle United 2 - 0 Portsmouth - Premier League (04/02/2006)
Rob: 11th
Dave: 15th
Alan Shearer put his name in the papers and the record books as he scored to become Newcastle United's top scorer of all time.
Shearer knew he was only one goal away from beating Jackie Milburn's tally of 200 goals for the club and the potent striker nearly got the all important goal in the first half but was denied by Dean Kiely before Charles N'Zogbia scored on the rebound to break the deadlock.
The moment finally came when Shola Ameobi's backheeled pass played Shearer through on goal. He then got the better of former teammate Andy O'Brien to get a shot away and slid the ball through the legs of Kiely and into the back of the net at the Gallowgate end to make Geordies from around the world go wild that the local boy, Alan Shearer made Newcastle United history.
Honourable mentions
60) Royal Antwerp 5 - 0 Newcastle United - UEFA Cup 1st Round 1st Leg (13/09/1994)
59) Sunderland 0 - 1 Newcastle United - Premier League (26/04/2003)
58) Derby County 3 - 2 Newcastle United - Premier League (13/04/2002)
57) Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 1 Newcastle United - Premier League (10/11/2013)
56) Newcastle United 5 - 1 Aston Villa - Premier League (27/04/1994)
55) Newcastle United 2 - 0 Wimbledon - Premier League (21/08/1996)
54) Newcastle United 4 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League (13/12/2003)
53) Newcastle United 5 - 0 Nottingham Forest - Premier League (11/05/1997)
52) Newcastle United 3 - 0 Aston Villa - Premier League (03/11/2001)
51) Middlesbrough 1 - 2 Newcastle United - Premier League (10/02/1996)
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