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Modern Magpies 1995/96: Close, But No Cigar
KEVIN KEEGAN was determined to make sure that he had a squad to sustain a long Premiership season and make a serious bid for silverware. In the close season of 1995 that saw millions of pounds exchange hands for top players from home and abroad, Newcastle United led the way and created football fever on Tyneside.
Wimbledon's Warren Barton was purchased for £4m, then Keegan landed his replacement for Andy Cole, paying £6m for Les Ferdinand from QPR. Soon after he brought the talented Paris St Germain forward David Ginola to England, a signing that captivated the Toon Army - and then spent more on goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. Keegan had assembled a formidable squad, one that was to take Manchester United all the way in the title race.
For much of the 1995-96 season Newcastle United had everything absolutely right. They roared to the top of the table and had a comfortable points advantage over their rivals from Old Trafford. Their football was scintillating. In attack, Les Ferdinand was outstanding, served on each wing by Ginola and Keith Gillespie who arrived at Gallowgate as part of the Cole deal. Peter Beardsley and Rob Lee were prompting from midefield and grabbing goals too.
Newcastle played like and looked like stylish Champions. And soon to be added to the squad were England's David Batty who arrived from Blackburn, and the Colombian international Tino Asprilla, who cost £7.5m from Italian club Parma. It seemed that Keegan could not be stopped in lifting the club's first Title trophy since 1927.
Over the Christmas period United held a lead of ten points over Manchester United, but a defeat by the Reds at Old Trafford was a crucial blow which United never really recovered from. And the pressure from all quarters mounted on the players and manager - not to mention the supporters.
The crucial run-in to the title started with a momentous clash with Manchester United at St James Park. It was a game that the black'n'whites needed to win to keep the Reds at bay. And they played to form as they dominated a match but could not score, then watched in agony as Eric Cantona stole the points to put the Reds back in the hunt for the Championship trophy.
United lost to Arsenal, then took part in a thrilling but heart-breaking encounter with Liverpool at Anfield. Newcastle lost 4-3 with a last minute goal from Stan Collymore. Newcastle kept winning their home games, but couldn't hold onto leads when away from Tyneside. United then faced three crucial away games in six days as the season reached its peak, a week which would decide the destination of the Premier League trophy.
Newcastle travelled to face Blackburn Rovers and dominated the match. David Batty gave United a 1-0 advantage with only 15 minutes left of the contest. United had one hand on the title trophy. But Newcastle's Achilles heel - their inability to defend stoutly when in front - caused their downfall. In the dying seconds Blackburn's substitute Graham Fenton - ironically a Geordie - netted twice to grab the points from the Tynesider's grasp.
United then won at Leeds thanks to a Keith Gillespie goal, then faced Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Again the Magpies had one hand on the silverware when Peter Beardsley's glorious goal hit the back of the net and then missed several chances to claim the points. To the frustration of their fans, once more they let the game slip when Ian Woan crashed home a characteristic long range shot for the equaliser.
The Championship was now in Manchester United's hands and they didn't let it slip. They won the title with Newcastle a demoralised runner-up after leading the pack for most of the season. Peter Beardsley was to record in his biography, "We had ourselves to blame", while Kevin Keegan noted in the club's magazine, "We have played some wonderful football and I'm well aware that most of the neutral fans in this country feel that we've entertained them better than any other club. But that's not a consolation - I wanted Newcastle United to be champions and we're not the champions".
Season 1995-96
Premiership
Pos Pld W D L F A Pts
2nd 38 24 6 8 66 37 78
FA Cup: R3
League Cup: R4
Top scorer: Ferdinand 27
Avg Attn: 36,507
Wimbledon's Warren Barton was purchased for £4m, then Keegan landed his replacement for Andy Cole, paying £6m for Les Ferdinand from QPR. Soon after he brought the talented Paris St Germain forward David Ginola to England, a signing that captivated the Toon Army - and then spent more on goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. Keegan had assembled a formidable squad, one that was to take Manchester United all the way in the title race.
For much of the 1995-96 season Newcastle United had everything absolutely right. They roared to the top of the table and had a comfortable points advantage over their rivals from Old Trafford. Their football was scintillating. In attack, Les Ferdinand was outstanding, served on each wing by Ginola and Keith Gillespie who arrived at Gallowgate as part of the Cole deal. Peter Beardsley and Rob Lee were prompting from midefield and grabbing goals too.
Newcastle played like and looked like stylish Champions. And soon to be added to the squad were England's David Batty who arrived from Blackburn, and the Colombian international Tino Asprilla, who cost £7.5m from Italian club Parma. It seemed that Keegan could not be stopped in lifting the club's first Title trophy since 1927.
Over the Christmas period United held a lead of ten points over Manchester United, but a defeat by the Reds at Old Trafford was a crucial blow which United never really recovered from. And the pressure from all quarters mounted on the players and manager - not to mention the supporters.
The crucial run-in to the title started with a momentous clash with Manchester United at St James Park. It was a game that the black'n'whites needed to win to keep the Reds at bay. And they played to form as they dominated a match but could not score, then watched in agony as Eric Cantona stole the points to put the Reds back in the hunt for the Championship trophy.
United lost to Arsenal, then took part in a thrilling but heart-breaking encounter with Liverpool at Anfield. Newcastle lost 4-3 with a last minute goal from Stan Collymore. Newcastle kept winning their home games, but couldn't hold onto leads when away from Tyneside. United then faced three crucial away games in six days as the season reached its peak, a week which would decide the destination of the Premier League trophy.
Newcastle travelled to face Blackburn Rovers and dominated the match. David Batty gave United a 1-0 advantage with only 15 minutes left of the contest. United had one hand on the title trophy. But Newcastle's Achilles heel - their inability to defend stoutly when in front - caused their downfall. In the dying seconds Blackburn's substitute Graham Fenton - ironically a Geordie - netted twice to grab the points from the Tynesider's grasp.
United then won at Leeds thanks to a Keith Gillespie goal, then faced Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Again the Magpies had one hand on the silverware when Peter Beardsley's glorious goal hit the back of the net and then missed several chances to claim the points. To the frustration of their fans, once more they let the game slip when Ian Woan crashed home a characteristic long range shot for the equaliser.
The Championship was now in Manchester United's hands and they didn't let it slip. They won the title with Newcastle a demoralised runner-up after leading the pack for most of the season. Peter Beardsley was to record in his biography, "We had ourselves to blame", while Kevin Keegan noted in the club's magazine, "We have played some wonderful football and I'm well aware that most of the neutral fans in this country feel that we've entertained them better than any other club. But that's not a consolation - I wanted Newcastle United to be champions and we're not the champions".
Season 1995-96
Premiership
Pos Pld W D L F A Pts
2nd 38 24 6 8 66 37 78
FA Cup: R3
League Cup: R4
Top scorer: Ferdinand 27
Avg Attn: 36,507
© Paul Joannou, Club Historian to Newcastle United FC
