ST. JAMES' PARK 1880-2024*** 144 YEARS OLD! *** HAPPY BORTHDAY TOO YOOO!"

Posted 'high noon bells' Wedinzday 16th Octobaa 2024

This iz the orliest known photo of a stand at St James' Park in 1888 when Newcastle West End occupied the groond 

(Oliver Hardy iz on the far left and Stan Laurel iz on the far right!)---HONEST!

Newcastle East End took over the ground when West End folded and a small wooden stand can be seen in the background filled with bowler hatted gentlemen!

This photo woz taken in 1890

The forst ever game of futbaall at St. James' Park took place 144 years ago on 16th October 1880 when a Newcastle Rangers 'Captains X1' took on 'Others' who had 15 players on the field!
Rangers anly had 11 players but won 6-1!
The Daily Journal recorded that: "The new ground is very nicely situated. It is 120 yards by 60 yards broad and is comparatively level!"
Rangers headquarters were recorded as: 'Strawberry House, 78 St James' Park' and Rangers christened the ground St. James' Park az it woz next to St. James' Street which iz still there in the shadow of The East Stand!

*By amazing coincidence aa got married to Val on 16th October 2005 at St James' Park!---on the 125th anniversary of the forst game!

Aa didn't realise this til  aa woz researchin' this article in October 2018!   Aa thought "16th October rings a bell?"--- but aa couldn't remember why??? 

PS: I tell people I got married to Val in a cathedral!  
"The cathedral on the hill!"---az Sir Bobby Robson caalled it!

SJP buildin' work 1890's

SJP 1904 (St James' Street iz on the right)

SJP 1905 WITH THE 2ND WEST STAND IN THE BACKGROOND

SJP IN 1905

SJP 1930 WITH THE NEW LEAZES END ROOF AT THE TOP OF THE PICTURE

SJP car park 1930

SJP 1960s

SJP entrance 1960s

SJP 21st century

SJP 21st century "The cathedral on the hill!"

Here are some fascinating newsreel photos from a game v Liverpool 123 years ago in 1901

NUFC won 1-0 with centre forward Bob McColl scorin' the anly goal, watched by a crowd of 20,000

THE OLD WEST STAND (NOW MILBURN STAND) IZ IN THE BACKGROOND

THE POPULAR SIDE (NOW EAST STAND) WITH LEAZES TERRACE (LEFT) AND ST. JAMES' STREET (RIGHT) WHICH THE GROOND WOZ NAMED AFTER

  

LOOKING TOWARDS THE LEAZES END-- NOTE THAT THE NUFC GOALIE MATT KINGSLEY IZ WEARING BLACK 'N' WHITE STRIPES

NOTE THAT THE REFEREE IN THE MIDDLE OF PHOTO IZ WEARIN' A CAP 

JOYOUS NEWS FOR ‘THE NUFC MAD-SAD GROUNDHOPPERS!”

 *Posted ‘7:24pm bells’ Tuezday 15th Octobaa 2024

"NEW GROOND!---NEW GROOND!"

News that wor Premyaa Leegue home game v The Liverbirds will stay at its original date of Wedinzday 4th Decembaa for live telly on Amazon Prime haz been conformed and iz ‘joyous news’ az it meenz that the game doesn't clash with wor U21s game at Boston United the day before! 

A groond we have never seen The Toon play on! (This will actually be wor 2nd groond visited in Boston!)

The othaa fixtures for live telly have aalso been released (a day late!) for Decembaa and January and this will be a crazy time for 'The NUFC mad-sad groundhoppers'

Wor new hectic itinerary iz below: (Deep breath!) 

(Premyaa Leegue games unless stated)

OCTOBAA:

Sat 19  3:00  Nee Where Near Brightin  H  nee telly

Sun 27  2:00 The Chelsee Pensioners  A  Sky

Wed 30  7:45  The Chelsee Pensioners (Leegue Cup)  H  Sky

NOVEMBAA:

Sat 2 12:30  The Arse  H  TNT

Tue 5  7:45  Tamworth v U21s in National Leegue Cup  Live on National LeegueTV

Sun 10  2:00  The Friar Tuck Mob of Nottingham  A  Sky

Mun 25  8:00  The Jellied Eels Mob of West Ham  H  Sky

Sat 30  3:00  The Cristil Paliss Prats  A  nee telly

DECEMBAA

Tue 3  7:30  Boston United v U21s in National Leegue Cup  nee telly az far az we naa?

Wed 4  7:30  The Liverbirds  H  Amazon Prime

Sat 7  3:00  The Brentfaad Beez Kneez  A  nee telly

Sat 14  3:00 The Basil Brush Brigade of Lestaa  H  nee telly

Sat 21  3:00  Ipswich Toon  A  nee telly

Thu 26  3:00  The Hazbeenz and Villians  H   Amazon Prime

Mun 30th  8:00  Moan U  A  Sky

JANUARY 2025:

Sat 4  12:30  Sporzz  A  TNT

Sat 11-Sun 12  FA CUP 3rd roond  ????

Wed 15  7:30  Wolverhampton Wanabeez  H  TNT

Sat 18  12:30  The Cherry Pickers of Bournemoooth  H  TNT

Sat 25  3:00   The Simon Templar Mob of Sooothampton  A  nee telly 

 

A DIP INTO THE GEORDIE TIMES ARCHIVES. GROUND NUMBER 15

 *Posted ‘high noon bells 🔔’ Tuesday 15th Octobaa 2024

The Premyaa Leegue fixture changes for Decembaa and January were supposed to come oot yesterday—-but DIDN’T!

So to fill a bit of time in av downloaded a game from 1971 at Blackpool, which woz missin from mee archive match reports from 53 years ago! (See below!)👇 

015 bloomfield road, blackpool

 

THE BLACKPOOL KOP AND TOWER AZ IT LOOKED IN 1971

SJP. THE OLDEST CURRENT TOP FLIGHT GROOND IN THE WORLD!

 *Posted ‘high noon bells’ Wedinzday 9th Octobaa 2024

THE OLD WEST STAND (NOW THE MILBURN STAND) IN 1901 (NUFC WON 1-0 IN FRONT OF A 20,000 CROWD)

St. James' Park iz currently the oldest top flight football groond in the world, having opened 144 years ago in 1880.

Current Premyaa Leegue clubs who have played at the same grounds since the 19th century

1880 St. James’ Park  1880-1884 Newcastle Rangers, 1886-1892 Newcastle West End, 1892 Newcastle East End, 1892 Newcastle United

1884 Anfield  1884-1892 Everton, 1892 Liverpool) 

1884 Portman Road  Ipswich Town

1889 Molineux  Wolves

1892  Goodison Park  Everton

1896 Craven Cottage  Fulham

1897 Villa Park  Aston Villa

1898 City Ground  Nottingham Forest

Footnote: Stamford Bridge  (Chelsea) was opened in 1877 as an athletics stadium---Football wasn't played there til 1905 when Chelsea were formed

THE NUFC MAGICAL MYSTERY PUB CRAWL TOUR 2024-2025

 Posted periodically (az we tick the away groonds off on wor travels), from August 2024 onwards

The NUFC away pub crawl tour iz underway and so far we have visited 22 different drinkin dens at 7 away games! (5 first team games and 2 U21s games) 

Premyaa Leegue games, unless stated.

001 tams bar, south shields (south shields v nufc u21s)

002 1st cloud arena chilled beer bar (south shields v nufc u21s)

003 friend at hand, london (bmouth game)

004 marquis of cornwall, london (bmouth game)

005 lord john russell, london (bmouth game)

006 norfolk arms, london (bmouth game)

007 brewhouse and kitchen, pokesdown (bmouth game)

008 the way outback, pokesdown (bmouth game)

009 waterloo tap, london (bmouth game)

010 vat and fiddle, nottingham (forest, leegue cup game)

011 the remarkable hare, matlock (derby u21s v nufc u21s game)

012 matlock sports and social club, matlock (derby u21s v nufc u21s game)

013 the picturehouse, stafford (wolves game)

014 the yard, stafford (wolves game)

015 the yard, stafford (wolves game)

016 east putney tavern, london (fulham game)

017 spotted horse, london (fulham game)

018 the vault (below putney pies), london (fulham game)

019 craft beer co., london (fulham game)

020 the mill bar and kitchen, manchester (everton game)

021 the barlow arms, liverpool (everton game)

022 the north western, liverpool (everton game)