1951 Mick Martin born, Dublin, Ireland. (1978-83)

Midfielder who played for Home Farm and Bohemians in his native city and had made his full international debut before a £25K move to Old Trafford in 1973.

Going on loan to West Bromwich Albion in 1975, a permanent deal followed to keep Mick at the Hawthorns, although he had spent time on loan at Preston North End when the Magpies made their move.

Bill McGarry spent £100K bringing him to SJP  in November 1978 and he made his debut at Crystal Palace the following month - finding the net for the first time in a home win over Charlton the following March.

Affectionately known as "Zico", Mick came through a sticky patch and was a favourite of the Gallowgate crowd - a fine goal at home to Bolton cementing that reputation.

And a measure of Martin's importance to the side could be measured by the drop in form that followed his injury in December 1979.

Having captained United, Mick eventually bowed out at the end of the 1982/83 season. Later moves took him to Wolves, Vancouver Whitecaps, local side Willington, Cardiff City, Peterborough and Rotherham.

End his playing career with a second stint at Preston, Mick coached at Deepdale before returning to SJP in 1987 as a scout. 

Within months however, he was part of the coaching staff, serving as reserve team manager and first team coach during 1988 when Colin Suggett became caretaker boss.

After a period coaching at Celtic with Liam Brady, Mick ended his active football career - although he was involved with sports and betting shop ventures on Tyneside.

Running a workwear clothing business in the area and working as a local radio pundit covering United, more recently Mick has represented the FAI in the North East. 

1997 Death of Ivor Allchurch, 67.
(1958-62)

1986 Sebastien Bassong born, Paris, France. (2008-09)

Newcastle fans attending the pre-season kickabout at Doncaster in August 2008 saw the unheralded appearance this central defender on trial from French side Metz.

With no mention in the programme or on the stadium PA of who was clad in the number 46 shirt, the episode was reminiscent of a pre-season game at Birmingham City in 1997.

That day the unknown Magpie was Dutch winger Brian Pinas - promptly christened "Whatsie" by Toon fans - and similar chants were audible at the Keepmoat Stadium. 

While Pinas quickly faded from view though and never played competitively for the first team, Bassong impressed and signed permanently within days.

A competitive Magpies debut for the French U21 international came in a Carling Cup success at Coventry City, closely followed by his Premier League bow off the bench in a 0-3 defeat at Arsenal.

A second red card of the season in the vital home game against Fulham (the first coming at Wigan on Boxing Day) meant that Seb was suspended for the final game of the season, at Aston Villa.

Bassong always looked likely to be one of the squad who departed following United's relegation and although he appeared in a pre-season game against Leeds, his eyes were obviously elsewhere.

The player was fined two week's wages after refusing to travel to a pre-season fixture at Dundee United and an £8m move to White Hart Lane was agreed:     

An epic 2009/10 season for Spurs then saw Bassong score the winner against Liverpool on his debut, finish on the losing side in an FA Cup Semi Final at Wembley and help his new club qualify for the Champions League.

Having accepted a call-up by Cameroon within days of joining Spurs (qualifying by virtue of his parents' nationality), Bassong started games against both Japan and Denmark at the World Cup Finals. 

However, he was unable to prevent them from exiting in the first round and a difficult season with Spurs saw him frequently named as an unused substitute.

Reported to be seeking a transfer in the summer of 2011, the player said, "I feel that I have gone backwards, like I have gone from heaven to hell." Sympathy was in noticeably short supply around NE1....

Loaned to Premier League strugglers Wolves during January 2012, Bassong was unable to prevent their relegation and he returned to White Hart Lane.

Joining Norwich City in a £5.5m deal that summer, Bassong was voted player of the year in his first season at Carrow Road, despite posing for photographs with a firearm and publishing them online.

Adding another relegation to his CV, a loan to fellow Championship side Watford came in October 2014 before returning to Carrow Road and regaining his place, playing in their Wembley playoff final win over Boro.

Playing at the top level again, Bassong endured his fourth demotion when the Canaries were relegated again in 2015/16.

Staying at City for another season, his final appearance for them came in March 2017 and he was released that summer.

Following unsuccessful trials at Birmingham City, Roda JC (Holland) and QPR, Bassong belatedly signed for Peterborough United during October 2018.

However, he made just a solitary appearance for the Posh before leaving in early 2019.

1993 DeAndre Yedlin born, Seattle, USA.
(2016-present)

Having lost Daryl Janmaat to Watford during August 2016, United acted quickly by paying Spurs £5m for their 23 year-old right back.

The US international arrived at White Hart Lane from Seattle Sounders in 2014 but played just once - a cameo substitute outing against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Loaned to the mackems in the 2015/16 season, Yedlin had made 25 appearances  - including both derby matches.

His Magpies debut came in the closing stages of a home win over Brighton and he arrived from the bench a week later to grab a vital second goal in a victory at Derby County.

However, injury halted his progress during early March, a thigh injury sidelining him following crucial wins at Brighton and Huddersfield but he returned in mid-April to help his side to the Championship title.

He made 34 appearances - three from the bench - in the 2017-18 season, helping United secure their Premier League status and also reaching a half century of international caps in March of that year.

Yedlin then appeared in all but four of the club's Premier League games during the following campaign, netting his maiden Premier League goal at Manchester City. 

1994 Nathan Evans born, Middlesbrough
(2007-11) 

Academy forward who made four substitute appearances for the U18s without finding the net in the 2010/11 campaign. Nathan was released by United in summer 2011.

Efforts at winning a contract elsewhere took him as far afield as Preston North End, Crawley Town, Norwich City, Motherwell and even Romanian side Dinamo Bucharest. 

Featuring more as a wide midfielder, stints at non-league sides Whitby Town, Norton & Stockon Ancients. Guisborough Town and Billingham Town then followed, before a major development during March 2014.

One of 5,700 entrants in the Samsung Win A Pro Contract national talent contest, Evans made it through to the last 22 players and then scored twice in the final of the event.

That impressed League Two side Wycombe Wanderers enough to invite Nathan to train with them and he signed a one year deal.

Featuring against Chelsea in pre-season, Evans didn't make a competitive appearance for the Chairboys and by October 2014 had been loaned to Scarborough Athletic.

Returning to Wycombe due to injury, he was released in June 2015 and after a brief spell at Darlington, turned up at Corby Town.