In memoriam - Football Edition

[Jonas]

Was my birthday that Liverpool away win. Wasn't following at the time, my first game was the return fixture - we drew that then beat Coventry and my next game was Everton at home which we won comfortably (just checked - we lost one in seven after that) - for a side in the relegation zone, thought I might have had the midas touch. Few years later after arguably the worst spell in the clubs history the opposite seemed the case. Sly how they hook you.

 

 

Edited October 5, 2025 by Jonas

[Guest]

20 hours ago, Billy Warthog said:

My first NUFC match I attended was a 2-1 victory over Leicester at SJP on 30th November, 1985. There was snow all over the Gallowgate, resulting in the biggest snowball fight I've ever seen. Jeff Clarke and Peter Beardsley scored for us. Only 17,300 in attendance.

 

Willie McFaul was the boss. RIP.

I got hit by a yellow piss ball, stunk of exhibition all day. 

[east stander]

57 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

Really annoyed we didn't recognise Willie McFauls passing with a minutes silence today considering his connection and achievements with the club as a player and manager. He was a club legend. 

 

With all due respect we had a minutes silence for Diego Jota and whilst that was tragic he had no connection whatsoever to Newcastle United. Willie McFaul played nearly 300 times for us, including playing an absolute blinder at Ujpest Doza and also managed us after that. He even lived in the area in area in his later years such was his connection to Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Totally agree. I fired off an email to them as soon as I got back. Completely disrespectful of such a servant and great man who served the club superbly

[Shearergol]

1 hour ago, Wallsendmag said:

Really annoyed we didn't recognise Willie McFauls passing with a minutes silence today considering his connection and achievements with the club as a player and manager. He was a club legend. 

 

With all due respect we had a minutes silence for Diego Jota and whilst that was tragic he had no connection whatsoever to Newcastle United. Willie McFaul played nearly 300 times for us, including playing an absolute blinder at Ujpest Doza and also managed us after that. He even lived in the area in area in his later years such was his connection to Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Was there anything for Barrie Thomas a few weeks back? There was at Scunny.

[ScottishMagpie]

Awh feck.  Just read this.  RIP Willie.  Club legend.

[Billy Warthog]

1 hour ago, Wallsendmag said:

Really annoyed we didn't recognise Willie McFauls passing with a minutes silence today considering his connection and achievements with the club as a player and manager. He was a club legend. 

 

With all due respect we had a minutes silence for Diego Jota and whilst that was tragic he had no connection whatsoever to Newcastle United. Willie McFaul played nearly 300 times for us, including playing an absolute blinder at Ujpest Doza and also managed us after that. He even lived in the area in area in his later years such was his connection to Newcastle Upon Tyne.

I missed the start of the game, so I assumed it had happened. Awful it didn't. 

[Wallsendmag]

19 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

Was there anything for Barrie Thomas a few weeks back? There was at Scunny.

 

No there wasn't. Tbf he played what 60 or 70 games for us in the early 60s and I'm not demanding a minuted silence for every single ex player who passes away but Willie McFaul played almost 300 times for us, managed us and was one of our 1969 Fairs Cup Legends. He deserved more than black armbands.

[frankpingel]

Stuart Boam has passed away aged 77. 

[KennyUtd]

RIP big fella. Absolutely rocked that strip as well. 

[gdm]

 

[Choppy Chop Chop]

4 hours ago, KennyUtd said:

RIP big fella. Absolutely rocked that strip as well. 

RIP aways think of him as a Boro legend 

[Paulie Walnuts]

4 hours ago, KennyUtd said:

RIP big fella. Absolutely rocked that strip as well. 

Remember as a small lad seeing him as something of a colossus. RIP big man. 

[Coffee_Johnny]

Ah! Stuart Boam. Struggled to remember his name but remembered his face. RIP 

 

Also totally missed the sad news last month about the death of William McFaul (Iam or Willie). Absolute Newcastle legend of my childhood and manager during my NUFC-obsessed late teens. 

 

Nice obituaries here:

https://www.irishfa.com/news/2025/october/obituary-willie-iam-mcfaul

 

https://www.themag.co.uk/2025/10/passing-of-a-newcastle-united-legend-willie-mcfaul/

[Paully]

Russell Cushing RIP

Former Newcastle United official Russell Cushinghas died unexpectedly following a short illness. He was 78.

Norwich-born, Russell joined the Magpies in 1971 from the Canaries, initially as Assistant Secretary before succeeding Malcolm Hoole as Club Secretary two years later.

Cushing acted as United's General Manager for many years, overseeing player contracts and transfers ranging from Malcolm Macdonald's departure to Arsenal through to the later arrivals of Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer. 

Other commitments included fixture arrangement, attending disciplinary tribunals, involvement in commercial activities and ticket sales - tasks later covered by an ever-increasing head count, but all passing across his desk at the time.

That range of activities saw Russell act as a spokesman for United on subjects ranging from wrangles over the ground lease with the City Council to reconstruction in the wake of the Taylor Report. Any incidents of hooliganism were also routinely following by statements penned by him in the following match programme.

Appointed to the board in late 1989 ahead of Sir John Hall's arrival at Gallowgate the following year, he served as Chief Operating Officer from June 2001. 

Russell ended an association with the Magpies spanning almost 36 years during 2007, in the months following the completion of Mike Ashley's takeover.

[Benwell Lad]

Sad news. Seemed to be around for ever and involved in every facet of the club's activities as the article says.

[Robster]

Billy Bonds

West Ham legend

[Big Geordie]

I think was still playing for West Ham, in the mid 80's. A proper one club man. 

 

RIP Billy. 

[Cronky]

Bonds was a very good player. It's strange that he was never capped.

[frankpingel]

Gary Rowell has gone (RTG).  Bad memories but still RIP.

[Danh1]

Remember he used to be on the radio - possibly commentating on their games?

 

RIP

[El Prontonise]

Yeah I think he's been on the radio.

[OpenC]

Yeah that's sad, some grim memories for fans a bit older than me but a local lad playing at that level for his local team is the dream like. RIP

[OpenC]

I wonder how a minutes silence will go

 

Don't really do it any more I guess, should be ok minutes applause and cheayerin' instead

 

 

Edited December 13, 2025 by OpenC

[Joe1984]

Just now, OpenC said:

I wonder how a minutes silence will go

Silently. For a minute. 😅

[frankpingel]

Just now, OpenC said:

I wonder how a minutes silence will go

I'd had same thought. Surely it'll be applause.