NEWCASTLE UNITED
Premier League, St James’ Park, Saturday 4 February 2023, 5.30pm
‘Newcastle away’ is always one of the first games the Claret and Blue Army looks for when the new fixture list is announced.
Why? Because it is a fantastic city for a weekend away, with bars, pubs and clubs galore, the iconic River Tyne and its famous bridges, an historic stadium slap bang in the middle of town, and a population absolutely obsessed with their football club.
It is nearly 18 months since West Ham United last visited St James’ Park on the opening weekend of the 2021/22 Premier League season and twice came from a goal down to run out 4-2 winners.
A repeat of that result this time around would be some achievement, seeing as Eddie Howe’s high-flying Magpies have not lost at home this season.
How to get there…
With no unreserved car parking on matchdays and traffic restrictions galore, Newcastle United ‘strongly recommend’ that supporters use public transport to reach St James’ Park.
If you do opt to drive to the North East, the Magpies operate Park and Ride from two sites close to the A1 motorway – one at Newcastle Great Park (near Newcastle Racecourse) and the other at the Metrocentre in Gateshead.
It’s probably more relaxing to let the train take the strain, with East Coast Mainline services from London Kings Cross stopping at Newcastle Central, just a signposted ten-minute walk from the stadium. Alternatively, you can take a taxi. Book your train tickets at lner.co.uk.
If you prefer, you can take a coach, National Express will deliver you to Newcastle Coach Station on St James’ Boulevard, while Megabus operates from outside Newcastle Central railway station.
Where to stay…
As a regional hub for the North East and a major tourist destination, Newcastle upon Tyne has literally hundreds of options ranging from two to five-star hotels to traditional bed and breakfasts to hostels.
You could opt to stay in or near the city centre or, if you wanted something different, you could stay in the seaside resort of Whitley Bay a few miles to the north, or in the historic Cathedral city of Durham, 20 miles to the south and one stop away on the train.
What to do…
Arguably, St James’ Park is Newcastle’s No1 tourist attraction and is open for stadium tours!
However, since you’ll be visiting St James’ Park for the match, you will probably want to do something else to fill your free time.
In addition to the hundreds of restaurants and bars, including the Chinatown area directly south of the stadium, Newcastle’s major landmarks are worth a visit, including the Quayside on the north bank of the River Tyne, the iconic Tyne Bridge and Newcastle Castle.
Those seeking something different could descend into the Victoria Tunnel, a 19th century subterranean wagonway which carried coal down to the River Tyne. To book tickets, visit ouseburntrust.org.uk/visit-vt
For more information about things to do, visit newcastlegateshead.com
What’s happened there before…
We’ve had mixed results at St James’ Park since returning to the Premier League a decade ago, winning there in 2012/13, 2018/19 and 2021/22, drawing twice and losing on four occasions.
Our 3-0 win at Newcastle United in December 2018, with Chicharito (two) and Felipe Anderson sharing the goals, equaled our most emphatic victory on Tyneside, matching the Premier League win in October 1998 and Second Division success in August 1978.
On the opening day of last season, we roared back from a goal down twice to win 4-2 (pictured), with Aaron Cresswell, Saïd Benrahma, Tomáš Souček and Michail Antonio getting the goals.
Travelling fans would no doubt enjoy a repeat of those scorelines. However, the Claret and Blue Army might not welcome a repeat of the drama of December 1960, when the Hammers led 4-1 and 5-2 before being pegged back by three Newcastle goals in the final 12 minutes, or the 5-0 Premier League defeat we suffered on the way to relegation in January 2011.
