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 (premium seats left)
Aston Villa (a) details awaited

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.

Internationals:
Final date for 
young Magpie 

Antonio Cordero (Spain U19s):
Mon 23.06.2025 Germany (n) won 6-5 aet ECF (5pm)

Reigning U19 champions Spain are now just one game away from defending their title, following a titanic struggle against Germany in Bucharest on Monday.

Recently-acquired Magpie Cordero was in the starting line-up but saw his penalty kick saved before going off with 81 minutes played.

At that point the Spanish trailed 1-2 but recovered to lead 3-2 in time added on before scoring an even later OG to trigger extra time and then go on to claim victory.

Spain will meet Netherlands in the final on Thursday.

Internationals:
Danes bow out 

William Osula (Denmark U21s):
Sunday 22.06.2025 France (n) lost 2-3 ECF QF

The Newcastle forward was unable to add to his three goals and two assists in the tournament in Sunday's quarter final tie. Playing for the opening 60 minutes in Presov, he made little impact and went off with his side 2-1 ahead. 

Tino Livramento (England U21s):
Sat 21.06.2025 Spain (n) won 3-1 ECF
With the Newcastle full back restored to the starting line-up, England ran out winners in Trnava. Livramento completed the full game at right back while ex-Magpie Elliot Anderson rounded off the scoring with a late penalty.

Thankfully our man avoided serious injury when he jumped out of the way of a scything tackle late in the contest that sparked confrontations between the teams on and off the pitch.

England's reward is a semi-final meeting with the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Giveaway:
Fanzine comp answer

Available online now is the latest issue of Seen.By. a softback photography fanzine that covers regional topics captured by a loose collective of photographers.

Issue 2 documents the events of March 2025, when Newcastle's eternal quest to win silverware ended in memorable style against Liverpool at Wembley.

Photos of that day from Wembley, Covent Garden and Tyneside are joined in the 84 pages by other memorable shots from the open top bus parade and celebrations.

Limited to 250 copies, the fanzine costs £10 plus £3.70 postage (overseas postage rates available on request) and can be purchased online here

We had copies to give away and asked who the last English -born Manager before Eddie Howe to win the League Cup was, doing so in 2004 with Middlesbrough.

It was of course Steve McClaren and the winning entries came from Graeme Herberson and Simon Ritter. 

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 by 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:
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....

RGR:
Road runner 

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.

Update:
Coach departure 

National League side Gateshead have appointed former Magpie Alun Armstrong as their new manager.

The 50 year-old came through the ranks at Gallowgate but left without making a senior competitive debut, appearing for the likes of Stockport County, Boro and Ipswich Town during his playing career.

Previously taking charge of Blyth Spartans and Darlington, Alan has been out of management since leaving the latter back in September 2023. More recently he became head of Elite and Performance Football at Gateshead College. 

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