Love It If We Beat Them is coming to the National Football Museum on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October. The politically-driven play is set in Newcastle, against the backdrop of Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers challenging for the title in the mid-nineties.
We’ve taken a look at that nail-biting title run-in via show props: Corinthian figurines produced during the 1995-96 campaign…
19 August 1995: Newcastle United 3 – 0 Coventry City
Newcastle kicked off proceedings with a 3-0 win over the Sky Blues at St James’ Park. “Sir Les” Ferdinand scored late on his debut. The £6 million signing from QPR found the net another 28 times in all competitions that season, comfortably leading the club’s scoring charts.
30 August 1995: Newcastle United 1 – 0 Middlesbrough
The Mags won their first four games, keeping clean sheets in three. Darren Peacock, another ex-QPR player, featured at the heart of defence. Surprisingly, given Newcastle’s attacking flair and talents, the ponytailed centre-half won the club’s Player of the Year award.
8 November 1995: Newcastle United 1 – 0 Blackburn Rovers
Was anyone as dependable in that Newcastle team as Rob Lee? The hardworking midfielder fast became a fan favourite and a steady source of goals on Tyneside since signing in 1992. His winner against Blackburn helped the team build an eight-point lead by early November.
1 October 1995: Everton 1 – 3 Newcastle United
Despite signing for over £2 million in 1994, Paul Kitson was a peripheral figure in NUFC’s title challenge, especially with the arrival of a certain Colombian… He made just seven appearances in total, but did score twice – including at Everton in early October.
21 October 1995: Newcastle United 6 – 1 Wimbledon
Did you know that local lad Steve Howey featured more times this season than Philippe Albert? The academy product played in all but ten of Newcastle’s league games, and was first on the scoresheet in a 6-1 demolition of Wimbledon.
9 December 1995: Chelsea 1 – 0 Newcastle United
Shaka Hislop played more times than cult hero Pavel Srnicek. He was Kevin Keegan’s number one (despite wearing #15) until he was injured midway through a 1-0 defeat at Chelsea in December 1995, watching much of the campaign from the sidelines.
23 December 1995: Newcastle United 3 – 1 Nottingham Forest
We’re not entirely sure the figure truly captures the essence of David Ginola… The silky Frenchman was afforded too much space against Nottingham Forest, exquisitely setting one up before scoring a peach of his own from 25 yards in a 3-1 win.
10 February 1996: Middlesbrough 1 – 2 Newcastle United
One of the most famous winter transfers in Premier League history. When on form, Faustino “Tino” Asprilla lit up SJP – no Geordie of a certain age will forget his magnificent hat-trick against Barcelona in 1997. He impressed off the bench on his debut against Middlesbrough, but proved erratic and inconsistent as his first season wore on.
8 April 1996: Blackburn Rovers 2 – 1 Newcastle United
David Batty joined not long after Tino, providing the midfield with bite and industry. Hardly renowned as a goal threat, Batty got on the scoresheet against old side Blackburn in early April, but a late brace from Geordie boy Graham Fenton consigned Newcastle to a morale-sapping defeat.
14 April 1996: Newcastle United 1 – 0 Aston Villa
By mid-April, Newcastle’s lead at the top had evaporated and tensions were high. During the first half of a game against Aston Villa, John Beresford snapped at Kevin Keegan: despite Beresford’s hasty apology, he was immediately him off in response. The first-choice left-back didn’t play in the final four games of the title run-in.
29 April 1996: Leeds United 0 – 1 Newcastle United
Warren Barton had started most of Newcastle’s games, but a change of system saw him dropped for the final run-in of matches. His last minutes came from the bench against Leeds United, preserving a 1-0 lead and, with it, the Magpies’ hopes of glory.
29 April 1996: Leeds United 0 – 1 Newcastle United
It was after the Leeds game that Keegan delivered his famous post-match interview, which duly inspired the title of Emmerson and Ward’s play ( as a reminder, you can book “Love It If We Beat Them” below).
Newcastle needed wins to stay alive in the fight. Instead, they could only claim two draws. Lee Clark was brought on in both games to try and find a winner, but to no avail, as Manchester United clinched the title by two points.