Years that meant a lot to me as a Newcastle United fan – Taking you back to 1984


 
 
 
 
 
 

Now that the EPL is in recess for another international break, I thought I would concentrate on a few years that meant a lot to me growing up as a Newcastle United fan.

First up is 1984.

The year of George Orwell, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and of course, Kevin Keegan, Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley.

I was still in my teens and the East corner of the Gallowgate was where me and my mate Dicka did our worshipping every other Saturday.

It was a pleasure to go and watch United as Arthur Cox’s exciting side strived to achieve promotion.

The Waddler would soon set the craze off on Tyneside for the mullet and so it was easy for me to transform my already flowing locks to the ‘in-haircut’ of the day (I cannot believe it has made a comeback in 2024).

There was also some good music doing the rounds. I was already a fan of Tears for Fears after their debut album The Hurting. Echo and the Bunnymen and The Cure were on top form, whilst one of my favourite bands of all time The Jesus And Mary Chain were just cutting their teeth.

It was Madonna’s breakthrough year and Wham topped the Charts not once but twice. It would have been three times if Band Aid hadn’tkept them off the Christmas Number 1 slot.

It was the height of the miners strike and local communities rallied around to support them in their fight against Thatcher. I attended the Durham Miners Gala with my Da and Uncle Tommy (God rest both their souls).

The Brighton bombing perpetrated by the IRA occurred during the Conservative Party Conference.

The cinematic world lost the acclaimed Richard Burton. A spate of British actors and comedians also passed away, Leonard Rossiter, Eric Morecambe and Tommy Cooper.

Daley Thompson, Sebastian Coe and Tessa Sanderson all achieved Gold at the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

In football, Liverpool won the 1st Division title for the third season in a row. Former Newcastle star Alan Kennedy then scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out in the Reds’ European Cup victory over AS Roma.

Their neighbours Everton lifted the FA Cup by defeating Watford in front of a tearful Elton John.

However, my everlasting memory of 1984, will always be of King Kev being airlifted by helicopter from the hallowed turf of St James’ Park, after the most emotional of farewells.

Kevin Keegan had captained the Toon back into the Promised Land of the top tier of English football and anybody could have been forgiven for thinking we had seen the last of the great man.

Coming shortly, 1992