ST home Cup schemes x3 end on Fri 27.06 @ 5pm
Celtic (a) SOLD OUT
Espanyol (h) Public sale now
Atletico Madrid (h) SOLD OUT
Aston Villa (a) details awaited

Internationals:
Another final for Tino 

England U21s will attempt to defend their European U21 Championship title this Saturday, following a 2-1 semi-final victory over the Netherlands in Bratislava on Wednesday.

Newcastle's Tino Livramento played the full 90 minutes at right back, former Magpie Elliot Anderson providing an assist for Harvey Elliott to score the first of his two goals.

Livramento now has the chance to emulate club colleague Anthony Gordon, who was part of England's winning 2023 squad. Standing in his way will be Germany, who defeated France 3-0 in the second semi-final.

Saturday's final is an 8pm kick-off, live on Channel 4.

Compo:
Hat giveaway

The latest addition to the range of Toon-themed bucket hats by Football Bobbles is this Lee model, inspired by United's distinctive 1997/98 change kit.

These are available to purchase here now and there's a special offer for NUFC.com readers of a half-price Kelly bucket hat with orders of the Lee bucket only.

To take advantage of that, add a Lee bucket hat to the online shopping basket and use promo code NUFC.com - that will prompt a Kelly hat to add at checkout. 

We have a Lee bucket hat up for grabs in a free-to-enter competition and to stand a chance of winning it, require you to answer the following question:

A Wembley goalscorer for his previous club, this England U21 international midfielder made a scoring debut for Newcastle in the 1997/98 season but failed to establish himself and moved to Sheffield United on loan. Name him.

Email that to [email protected] with subject Hats

Closing date is 11am on Wednesday July 2nd. No age limit, open to anyone on the planet. Delivery only to UK addresses. One entry each please per person.

Internationals:
Big night for new Mag 

Reigning U19 champions Spain will attempt to defend their U19 European Championship title on Thursday evening, when they meet the Netherlands in the final.

An integral part of the Spain squad is recent Newcastle acquisition Antonio Cordero, who has started all four games so far at the finals and scored once. 

It's a 7pm kick-off in Bucharest and live coverage is available via the UEFA website (registration required).

2025/26:
Cup Schemes x 3:
sign up by Friday 

Sign-ups remain open for the three stand-alone home cup schemes available, allowing season ticket holders to guarantee entry to Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup fixtures at Gallowgate this coming season.

Enrolment must be complete this Friday  June 27th at 5pm. That is a hard deadline with no exceptions.

Anyone struggling to opt in can contact NUFC via 0344 372 1892 from 10am until 5pm every weekday, but the ticket office in the Milburn Stand will only be open for personal callers this coming Wednesday from 10am to 5pm.

For anyone who doesn't sign up, there's no guarantee of any seat for a home tie in that competition and their sales window will open alongside that of club members.

Pricing for the two domestic cup competitions is unchanged from 2024/25 at £35 & £30 for home FA Cup ties and £25 & £20 for Carabao Cup games at SJP.

FA Cup and Carabao Cup payments will be taken within seven days of a home game being confirmed.

Champions League tickets cost £70 & £60, increasing from our last entrance in 2023/24 when they were £60 & £55. 

Regardless of when United's Champions League home games are staged, payments will be taken for those tickets on the 1st day of July, August, September and October.

NUFC Cup Scheme announcement is here

NUFC Cup Scheme enrolment guide is here

NUFC Cup Scheme FAQs are here

NUFC Cup Scheme Ts & Cs are here

2025/26:
Espanyol (h) now on sale  

Tickets for Newcastle's pre-season friendly fixture at St. James' Park against Espanyol are now on public sale, priced at £25 and £20 for adults. 

The Magpies face the Spaniards in a 7.30pm kick-off on Friday August 8th - the night before the sold-out visit of fellow La Liga side Atletico Madrid to Gallowgate. 

This will be the fourth successive season that Eddie Howe's side have concluded their pre-season preparations with back to back home kickabouts, splitting the squad across both games and giving pitch time to U21 squad players.

The two sides last met in a pre-season kickabout staged at Espanyol's former home at Montjuic Stadium in August 2000, the hosts running out 2-1 winners.

The Magpies did rather better in Spain during May 1960, securing a 5-2 victory at Espanyol's previous Estadi de Sarria base.

RGR:
Stormy weather 

The man known as Run Geordie Run continues his charity trek across the USA from New York to California, encountering electrical storms passing through Kansas.

Donations have now passed £22,000, thanks in part to a very generous contribution from the Newcastle United Supporters Club (NUSC). Every penny raised supports the work of St. Benedicts Hospice. 

If you can help, please do so online here  

Find the RGR blog here

2025/26:
Another Trophy entry 

Newcastle U21s will again participate in the EFL Trophy this coming season - taking their place in the 64 club competition for a ninth successive season.

The format remains unchanged for what is now known as the Vertu Trophy; 16 groups of three EFL clubs already drawn and a draw staged on Thursday to decide which group each of the 16 invited PL clubs are placed in.

Along with Everton, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Wolves, Newcastle are in the Northern Section as ball number 6.

The Magpies will be drawn in one of these eight groups, playing each of the three EFL sides away from home: 

A: Salford City, Stockport County, Wigan Athletic
B: Barrow, Blackpool, Tranmere Rovers
C: Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers, Grimsby Town
D: Barnsley, Lincoln City, Notts County
E: Bolton Wanderers, Oldham Athletic, Rotherham United
F: Harrogate Town, Huddersfield Town, Mansfield Town
G: Accrington Stanley, Fleetwood Town, Port Vale
H: Burton Albion, Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra

Sky Sports will televise all the ties, with round dates tbc.

Games are played over 90 minutes, with a penalty shootout staged if the scores are tied then and the winners of that receiving a bonus point.

The Magpies were successful last season in a shootout against Bradford City, but haven't claimed maximum points in this competition since back in 2018.

PS: The U21s are set to feature in the Premier League International Cup for the first time since 2019/20 - pitting them against European sides played games in the UK.

The National League Cup also returns this season but it's unclear as yet whether Newcastle will enter again.  

2025/26:
Fixtures announced 

Newcastle will begin their 2025/26 season against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday August 16th, with kick-off confirmed as 12.30pm for live UK TV (TNT Sports).

The first Tyne-wear derby league fixtures since 2015/16 take United to the dark place on or around December 13th, with the return at SJP on or around March 21st - a game that would be rescheduled should Eddie Howe's side make it to Wembley to defend the Carabao Cup.  

The festive season will be played away from Tyneside, with successive trips to Manchester United and Burnley - note that the only "blackout" day announced by the PL is December 24th, meaning that fixtures are liable to be rescheduled to both December 26th and January 1st. 

There's a Wednesday night London game against Spurs in February, but a further trio of midweek home fixtures.

Two Saturday home games are set to be pushed back to Sundays as a result of European scheduling: the visit of Nottingham Forest to SJP in October moving to Sunday 5th assuming that the visitors have progressed through their Conference playoff and are in action on Thursday 2nd.

Similarly, the home game against Aston Villa in January should move to Sunday 25th as the Villans will be in Europa League action the previous Thursday.

There's no clash with PL games on any FA Cup round weekend until the semi-finals, with the Quarter Finals on or around Saturday April 4th, which is the Easter weekend. 

That follows an international break, meaning that there's a guaranteed 19 day period with no PL games as it stands.

The final home game against West Ham is scheduled on Sunday May 17th along with the rest of the PL games that weekend. Saturday May 16th is clear for the FA Cup Final. 

The closing game of the season then takes the Magpies to Fulham on Sunday May 24th, Craven Cottage also the venue for our 38th and final PL game in 2019 and 2021.

United's visit to Everton is scheduled for the final weekend of November, with the Hill Dickinson Stadium the 61st venue to have staged a PL fixture involving the Magpies.

This will be the first time since 2020/21 that Newcastle have begun and ended a season away from home.

fixture list

The return of Burnley, Leeds United and the mackems at the expense of Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City means that Newcastle's seasonal away mileage will reduce by a whopping 1,300* miles from 9,462 to 8,162. 

* subject to slight alteration, depending on which daft route the Toon bus convoy takes to wearside....

Giveaway:
Fanzine comp answer

Old boys:
The departed 

Former Magpie Andy Carroll has announced his departure from Bordeaux, after spending one season with the club who were demoted to the fourth tier of French football due to financial issues.

It's unclear whether the 36 year-old will extend his playing career elsewhere, but in a statement confirming the exit, Bordeaux say Carroll is returning to England in order to be closer to his children. 

Also heading for pastures new is Steven Taylor, who is standing down as Coach of UAE-based Al Qabila despite leading the club to promotion last season.

And League of Ireland Shelbourne have confirmed the mid-season departure of manager Damien Duff, ahead of next month's Champions League meeting with Linfield.

U21s:
Mariners again 

In a repeat of their 2024/25 pre-season meeting, Newcastle U21s will travel to South Shields for a friendly fixture on Sunday August 3rd. Kick-off is at 3pm.

Before that public fixture, the second string host Hull City U21s behind closed doors on Saturday July 26th (1pm).

2025/26:
Teen trio commit 

Newcastle have agreed contract extensions with three 18 year-old players on the verge of the senior squad.

Full back Leo Shahar, winger Trevan Sanusi and forward Sean Neave have all put pen to paper on new deals of unspecified duration.

First professional contracts have been awarded to forward Joe Brayson and defensive duo Logan Watts and Luke Craggs, who are all 18 or reach that age imminently.

Elsewhere in the Academy, Sam Alabi, Michael Mills and Sam Pinnington have accepted scholarships and Thomas Bryant's scholarship is extended into a third year.

2025/26:
Korea confirmation

Tickets for fans travelling to South Korea will be initially available to ST Holders and Mags Members from 10am on 30.06.2025. General sale is from 10am on 07.07.2025.

United's pre-season schedule now extends to six matches as follows, preceded by a behind closed doors friendly:

Sat 19.07.2025 Celtic (Scotland) (a)
Sun 27.07.2025 Arsenal (n) in Singapore
Wed 30.07.2025 Team K League (South Korea) (a)
Sun 03.08.2025 Spurs (n) in South Korea
Fri 08.08.2025 Espanyol (h) (Spain) (h)
Sat 09.08.2025 Atletico Madrid (Spain) (h)

Update:
FAB minutes

Minutes from the most recent FAB (Fan Advisory Board) meeting at SJP are now available online here

Amongst the usual range of topics covered was the following update regarding 2025/26 kit releases:

"Third kit to launch in early July and Away shirt launch planned to be on pre-season tour in Asia during July or August."

Old boys:
Comings & goings