Newcastle United Cult Heroes

Newcastle United have had some great players don the famous black and white stripes down the years. Graeme and Zack take a look at some of Newcastle’s cult heroes.

Graeme’s Picks

James Perch:

Ahhh Perchinho, he could play absolutely anywhere and at Newcastle United, Perch played in numerous positions. He adopted the role of utility man. Perch had picked up an astonishing 5 yellow cards in his opening 5 games for Newcastle, a record that still stands today. Perch made 65 appearances for the club, scoring once during that time in a 4-3 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United.

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Laurent Robert:

When Robert put his foot through a football, that ball stayed hit! The Frenchman was signed by Sir Bobby Robson in 2001. A scorer of some truly magnificent goals. Robert made 129 appearances during his time on Tyneside, scoring 22 times. After his last match as a Newcastle player, Robert stripped down to his underwear - throwing his kit into the St James’ Park crowd.

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Nikos Dabizas:

Signing for Newcastle for a fee of £2M in 1998. The Greek international famously scored the winning goal against fierce rivals Sunderland, during a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light in 2002. Dabizas made 130 appearances for the club scoring 11 times.

Antoine Sibierski:

Probably the most surprising name on this list. Sibierski arrived on a free transfer and wasn’t greeted fondly by Newcastle supporters at the time. The Frenchman scored on his debut in the UEFA Cup first round tie against Levadia. During Newcastle’s Europeans campaign, Sibierski became a key figure - Appearing 7 times and scoring 4 goals along the way. Sibierski would only play for the club for one season, after the club failed to meet his wish of a new two-year deal.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Newcastle United via Getty images

Faustino Asprilla:

Tino, what can we say about him? He was incredible, Asprilla will always be remembered for his stunning hat-trick against Barcelona in the Champions League during a 3-2 victory at St James’ Park. Who could forget Tino’s famous fur coat? Asprilla went on to make 48 appearances, scoring 9 times.

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Zack’s Picks

Mike Williamson:

Iron Mike, as he was so affectionately known during his six-year tenure with the Toon, was part of the center-back platoon alongside Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor in the early 2010s. Although the physically largest of the three, Williamson was neither the vocal leader of Colo, nor the emotional sparkplug of STaylor, but instead provided the much-needed calm presence in the backline. Never a world beater, but you always knew what you were getting with Iron Mike.

Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images

Peter Løvenkrands:

During his three-and-a-half year stint with the club, Løvenkrands had a fairly modest return of 29 goals in 63 matches. However, the Danish marksman was instrumental in getting Newcastle back up to the Premier League in the 2009-10 season. Despite not being a particularly tall striker, Løvenkrands could be lethal in the air, and had a pugnacious style of play that endeared him to many Newcastle supporters.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Newcastle United via Getty Images

Steven Taylor:

The devilish smile in the photo below tells you everything you need to know about the former stalwart Newcastle defender. A player known largely for his on-field antics, whether it be his deliberate handball and consequent phantom-injury against Aston Villa in April 2005, or his distracting of Stoke City keeper Asmir Begovic in March 2013, Taylor was always good for a trick or two. One of the longest serving players for Newcastle in the 21st century, Taylor’s erratic behavior and somewhat inconsistent play led to him garnering a substantial following during his time at the club.

Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images

Hatem Ben Arfa:

One of the great “what could have been” players in Newcastle history, Hatem Ben Arfa was as jaw-droppingly talented as he was fist-slammingly frustrating during his time at Newcastle. His dazzling solo-efforts against Bolton and Blackburn place highly amongst “Top Newcastle Goals of the Decade”, yet accusations of fitness and training issues seemed to prevent him from reaching the utmost heights of his talent during his four years playing for the club. Still, despite his wildly inconsistent and injury-riddled time at Newcastle, few players have ever drawn the excitement and expectation that Ben Arfa did every time he touched the ball.

Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images

Jonás Gutiérrez:

The Argentine transplant on Tyneside, Jonás Gutiérrez’s love for the city was only paralleled by his status as a true cult hero amongst Newcastle supporters. Despite his lack of goals in a Newcastle kit, 12 in 205 matches, nobody questioned El Galgo’s heart and determination while wearing the Black and White. After his heroic return from testicular cancer in early 2015, Jonás cemented his legacy by scoring the goal against West Ham on the final day that kept Newcastle in the Premier League. An effervescent personality on and off the pitch, Jonás is a Newcastle legend through and through.

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