The Many Layers and Complicated Hierarchy of the English Football Pyramid Tiers
While all the national leagues have them, there is an aura of speciality about the English football pyramid tiers. The sheer size of it rivals the ones in Giza.
It's hard to deny that Newcastle fans are some of the most passionate not just in England, but in Europe. So getting adored by them and becoming one of the Newcastle United legends is a highly prestiougous achievement for any player. Not only that, but NUFC fans have the bragging rights for the greatest EPL player of all time being one of them.
Alan Shearer
Without any debate, any discussion, or silent negation - Alan Shearer is the greatest Newcastle United legend. Even though he won the title with Blackburn, he made his name and secured the title of the greatest Premier League striker of all time at St. James' Park. The hometown boy, born in Newcastle upon Tyne, started his career with Southampton, moved to Blackburn Rovers, and then to Newcastle in 1996.
In 405 games for Newcastle United, Alan Shearer scored 206 goals!
Winning the Premier League golden boot award once with the side, in his debut season. Alan Shearer was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame and of course into the Newcastle United Hall of Fame.
A statue of Shearer, depicting his trademark celebration, is placed outside the stadium of Newcastle United.
Regardless of how rich the club is now, no Newcastle United players past and present and future can reach Alan Shearer's level in the eyes of the Toon army. After all, he is one of them.
Peter Beardsley
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Another local boy, Peter Beardsley changed a lot of clubs, but represented Newcastle United in two four season spells. First one starting in the second tier of English football back in 1983 and the other one 10 years later. Playing in the seminal side known as the Entertainers.
Switching between playing as a midfielder and a forward, Beardsley managed to get quite high on the Newcastle United top scorers list, placed sixth with 119 precises shots in 326 games. Even after his playing career, he stuck around St. James' Park, performing in various coaching roles between 2001 and 2018.
Jackie Milburn
A former professional sprinter, the striker Jackie Milburn was THE Newcastle United legend before Alan Shearer. It took the local curly blonde boy 50 years to break his goalscoring tally for the club. And he only did it by six goals with eight more matches. That is, playing for the side from 1943 to 1957, Milburn scored 200 goals in 397 games. Oh, he also scored 38 goals during the war which aren't counted in his official tally.
Milburn was in the team for three of the five won FA Cup finals! The main stand of St. James' Park is now named the Milburn Stand after him. While a statue depicting the man known as Wor Jackie is located around the stadium as well!
Shay Given
When you are one of the players who had most appearances for a club, inclusion on the legend's list is given. Shay Given. Terrible pun aside, the Irish goalkeeper stood between the posts of Newcastle's goal 463 times and was the rare stablizing factor during his time at St. James' Park. He was 34 games from becoming the player who has played the most games for United. Yet two men who started playing before World War I are ahead - Frank Hudspeth (472) and Jimmy Lawrence (496).
While yet not a member of NUFC's Hall of Fame, there is no doubt that the man who represented the club from 1997 until 2009 is heading there. He even managed to record three assists during his time in goal!
Other Newcastle United legends like Stan Seymour, Sir Bobby Robson, Kevin Keegan and Joe Harvey are addressed in our piece on the best NUFC managers.
Honourable mentions had to be given to Norberto Solano, Shola Ameoby, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Steve Harper, Len White, Hughie Gallacher, Malcolm Macdonald, and others.
