1934 Nottingham Forest (a) 
1-5 (0-1)
Division Two
P1, 0pts, 20th/20 
Lang(83) 
Peacock(26), Race(50), Masters(71), Burditt(77,79)
22,000 
The first game of a new season saw United receive a harsh welcome to life in Division Two. 

Newly-appointed captain Tony Leach made his debut as did Bob Shankley at inside forward.

1945 Sheffield United (h)
6-0 (1-0)
Wartime
Clifton(44), Stubbins(51,60,87), Wayman(56), Milburn(87).
31,391
Magpies goalkeeper Eric Garbutt enjoyed the easiest of Magpie debuts, with the action mostly at the other end of the field.

1948 Chelsea (h) 
2-2 (1-1)
Division One
P2, 2pts, 10th/22 
Lowrie(41), Milburn(50) 
Billington(39), Bentley(61)59,020
Ernie Taylor's 77th minute penalty was saved by visiting custodian Harry Medhurst - denying Newcastle what would have been their first victory back in the top flight. 

1951 Manchester United (a) 1-2 (1-0)
Division One
P3, 3pts, 9th/22 
G.Robledo(18)
Rowley(49), Downie(59)
An eventful afternoon at Old Trafford for George Robledo, who scored before replacing Jack Fairbrother on 54 minutes after the visiting goalkeeper broke his collarbone.

1952 Newcastle signed reserve goalkeeper Bob Robinson from sunderland.

1954 West Bromwich Albion (h) 3-0 (2-0)
Division One
P2, 4pts, 1st/22 
White(14,18), Milburn(76)
58,548
Having begun the season with an eye-catching 3-1 win at Arsenal, Newcastle continued their great start with a fine victory over the Albion.

1956 sunderland (a) 
2-1 (1-0)
Division One
P3, 4pts, 9th/22 
Milburn(39),
Davies(87)
Shackleton(53)
51,032
United recorded back to back victories at Roker Park thanks to a late Reg Davies header after some typical trickery from Bobby Mitchell.

Earlier, former Magpie Len Shackleton had cancelled out Jackie Milburn's first half diving header with a 25 yard piledriver.

1958 Blackpool (a) 
0-3 (0-1)
Division One
P2, 0pts, 20th/22 
Gregson(40), Durie(73), Charnley(76)
25,531
Solitary appearance of forward, Carl Wilson, son of former Magpie Joe Wilson. Also making his debut was Billy Wright, a native of Blackpool who had begun his career at Bloomfield Road.

1962 Portsmouth (h) 1-1 (0-1) Division Two P3, 2pts, 15th/22  Thomas(62)  Barton(6) 35,214
1965 West Bromwich Albion (h) 0-1 (0-1) Division One P2, 1pt, 15th/22  Kaye(38) 43,901 The only goal of the game came from John "Yorky" Kaye who looked two yards offside.
1971 Huddersfield Town (h) 0-0 (0-0) Division One P4, 4pts, 12th/22  40,989 Following Malcolm Macdonald's hat-trick heroics the previous Saturday against Liverpool, the Terriers successfully smothered him in this midweek game and almost won it themselves.
1973 West Ham United (a) 2-1 (0-1) Division One P1, 2pts, 4th/22  Macdonald(55,83) Robson(37)  28,169 Trailing to a Pop Robson goal in tropical conditions, Newcastle replied through a header and a shot from Supermac to claim the opening day points in East London.
1976 Tottenham Hotspur (a) 2-0 (0-0) Division One P2, 3pts, 6th/22  Burns(75), Barrowclough(85)  24,022 Smash and grab at White Hart Lane for a defensively minded United, who were jeered by frustrated home fans.

1979 Charlton Athletic (a)
1-1 (1-0)
Division Two
P3, 3pts, 12th/22 
Cassidy(18)
Walker(57)
6,849 
United boss Bill McGarry gave midfielder Peter Cartwright a 22nd birthday present (two days late) - his debut as a substitute, replacing Gary Nicholson.

1981 United paid Everton £125,000 for striker Imre Varadi, following a successful trial at SJP.

London-born of Hungarian parents, Varadi began his career at Letchworth Town before a move to Sheffield United. Gordon Lee then paid £80,000 to take him to Goodison in 1979.

1984 Leicester City (a) 
3-2 (1-1)
Division One
P1, 3pts, 6th/22 
Carney(3), McCreery(53), Waddle(80)
Lineker(38,73)
18,636 
United's top-flight return saw new boss Jack Charlton enjoy an opening day success at Filbert Street. 

Defender Malcolm Brown made a much-delayed debut, injury having sidelined him since signing from Huddersfield Town over a year previously.
Youtube footage is online here

1986 Tottenham Hotspur (a) 1-1 (0-1)
Division One
P2, 1pt, 15th/22 
Beardsley(87)
Allen(44) 
25,381
Chris Waddle's looping cross from the left flank was met by goalkeeper Martin Thomas, but he could only push the ball onto Clive Allen and it rebounded into the net.

United's first point of the season though was earned when Peter Beardsley played a neat 1-2 before bursting into the Spurs area and rolling the ball beyond Ray Clemence.
Youtube footage is online here

1990 Plymouth Argyle (h)
2-0 (1-0)
Division Two
P1, 3pts, 3rd/24 
Kristensen(2), Quinn(65) 
23,984 
A winning start to the new season as Benny Kristensen calmed any nerves with a fine strike in the first few minutes, and Mickey Quinn claimed a second, all in bright Tyneside sunshine.
Youtube footage is online here

1992 Mansfield Town (a) 
0-0 (0-0)
League Cup 1st Round 2nd Leg (won 2-1 on agg) 
6,725 
Newcastle's maiden visit to Field Mill ended scoreless, meaning that Kevin Keegan's side advanced by virtue of their 2-1 first leg victory on Tyneside.

Gavin Peacock netted twice at SJP but was denied by Stags 'keeper Jason Pearcey from the penalty spot in the 90th minute of this tie.

1993 Everton (h) 
1-0 (1-0)
Premier League
P4, 4pts, 14th/22 
Allen(18)
34,490
A deflected Malcolm Allen shot during the first half of this Wednesday night game gave United their maiden Premiership victory, at the fourth attempt.
PL highlights are online here

1998 United's reserve side made it three wins from three games after a 4-0 win over Bradford City at Valley Parade.

Stephane Guivarc'h returned after recovering from an ankle injury sustained just ten minutes into his debut for the first team at Bray earlier in the month, completing 45 minutes along with fellow new boy Nolberto Solano.

Paul Dalglish (2), Stephen Glass and substitute Paul Robinson were all on the scoresheet.

1999 mackems (h)
1-2 (1-0)
Premiership
P5, 1pt, 19th/20
Dyer(28)
Quinn(64), Phillips(72)
36,600
The mackem monsoon game. Ruud Gullit famously left Alan Shearer on the bench and then blamed the defeat on him and fellow striker Duncan Ferguson, prompting one reporter to say "less of a teamsheet, more of a suicide note".

Dunc expressed his disappointment with Gullit's comments the next morning at the club's training ground, ripping the manager's office door off its hinges.... 

Within days Gullit had abdicated, Shearer and  Rob Lee were back in the fold and Bobby Robson had been installed at Gallowgate. A revitalised number then plundered five goals as Sheffield Wednesday were demolished 8-0. 

Had referee Graham Poll not opted to play on through atrocious conditions and messrs Quinn and Philips not beaten loan 'keeper Tommy Wright though, the course of Magpie history could have been very different - no Bobby, no Shearer scoring record etc.
NUFC.com match report
PL highlights are online here

2001 The U17 and U19s filled their boots against Watford, Lewis Guy's brace and a Calvin Zola treble making it 5-0 for the bairns.

The U19s went one better, scoring six second half goals without reply from Stephen Brennan, Richard Offiong(2), Michael Chopra(2) and an own goal.

2004 Norwich City (h)
2-2 (1-0)
Premiership
P3, 2pts, 15th/20
Bellamy(40), Hughes(50)
Bentley(52), Doherty(74)
51,574
Under a headline of "Laughing Stock" our post-match comments began as follows:

Another fantastic night of entertainment dished up by Newcastle United Football Club - but not for its own fans, for a sniggering nation of Sky-watchers who saw yet another very public pantomime unfold.

Not only had our season started badly on the pitch but off it our very public bidding in the auction for Everton's Wayne Rooney was about to be flatly rejected. Funny that.
NUFC.com match report
PL highlights are online here

2006 The draw for the First Round Proper of the UEFA Cup was made and Newcastle's reward for beating Latvians, FK Ventspils, was a trip to the neighbouring Baltic state of Estonia, to face Levadia Tallinn.

2007 Alleged striker Abert Luque left United for Ajax, turning down offers from their Eredivisie rivals Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven and  Spaniards Real Betis. 

The Spanish misfit had cost United £11.4m (not the £9.5m publicly quoted) from Deportivo La Coruna in August 2005 but we recouped only part of that fee (the amount wasn't disclosed).

Fourteen starts and twenty appearances as a substitute in all competitions harvested three goals - a rotten record but still superior to his replacement, Alan Smith.

Reflecting on his time at Newcastle, Luque told Dutch pressmen that: "I got an offer I could not refuse, simple. I had a conversation with chairman Freddy Shepherd and he asked me what I wanted to earn. I called a ridiculous amount and he immediately said it was okay. 

"A day later he spoke with Deportivo and in that interview exact same thing happened. He asked what I had cost, Lendoiro said fifteen million and the deal was done. In both cases, they didn't even try to negotiate, Shepherd said twice immediately yes. 

"In 24 hours changed my life, everything was upside down. I was going to earn a lot at a club which I had never followed, in a city where I knew nothing of. 

"Most of the players who were under contract at Newcastle I had never heard of and I spoke barely a word of English!"

2010 Accrington Stanley (a) 3-2 (1-1)
Carling Cup Second Round
R.Taylor(36), Ameobi(48),
Lovenkrands(67)
Putterill(45), Hessey(90)
4,098
United's first-ever visit to the Crown Ground ended without a giant-killing, which doubtless came as a blow to Sky, who televised the tie live.

Chris Hughton gave Shane Ferguson a senior debut at left back - one of 11 changes from the side who had walloped Aston Villa 6-0.
NUFC.com match report

2011 Scunthorpe United (a) 2-1aet 1-1 (0-1)
Carling Cup Second Round
R.Taylor(80, Sa.Ameobi(112)
Dagnall(15)
4,408
Sammy Ameobi's first senior goal completed a comeback at Glanford Park, after Ryan Taylor's second free kick conversion in as many games prompted extra time.
NUFC.com match report

2012 Chelsea (a)
0-2 (0-2)
Premier League
P2, 3pts, 9th/20
Hazard(22pen), Torres(45+3)
41,718
A first loss at Stamford Bridge in five visits was due in no small part to the quick feet of Eden Hazard.

He netted from the spot after Vurnon Anita had felled Fernando Torres, before setting up Torres to confirm the destination of the points in first half added time.
NUFC.com match report
PL highlights are online here

2014 A 5-1 home win for the U21s over Reading saw Adam Armstrong hit a hat trick and Sammy Ameobi and Hatem Ben Arfa net.

The appearance of Ben Arfa in front of the watching Alan Pardew failed to give him a route back into the Newcastle first team and within days he had been loaned to Hull City.

However, this game came back to haunt Hatem when FIFA deemed it was competitive - barring him playing for Nice later that season under the "three club" rule.  
NUFC.com match report

2015 Northampton Town (h) 4-1 (2-1)
Capital One Cup Second Round
Thauvin(3), De Jong(8), Janmaat(56), Williamson(63)
Richards(10pen)
26,923
Steve McClaren's first victory as Newcastle manager was also to be the highlight of Florian Thauvin's SJP career.

The Frenchman scored one, had another disallowed and claimed assists for the other three. Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles and ex-Cobbler Ivan Toney all debuted.
NUFC.com match report

2017 Having begun the season with successive away wins, the U23s were beaten 0-1 by Boro at the Heritage Park home of Northern League Bishop Auckland.
NUFC.com match report

2019 Tottenham Hotspur (a) 1-0 (1-0)
Premier League
P3, 3pts, 19th/20
Joelinton(27)
59,245
Joelinton's goal gave an orange-clad Magpies their first victory of the season, Steve Bruce collecting maximum points at the third time of asking.

After a week of media criticism that followed a gutless display at Norwich, the Newcastle boss dispensed with both Ki and Jonjo Shelvey, replacing them with Sean Longstaff and Allan Saint-Maximin who lasted less than 20 minutes, before limping off.

On a boiling hot day in the capital, United survived a VAR review of what looked like a penalty after Fabian Schar upended Heung-Min Son but thankfully Mike Dean's original decision wasn't overturned.
NUFC.com match report
PL highlights are online here

2020 Crewe Alexandra (n)
3-0 (1-0)
Friendly
Carroll(39), Atsu(47), Fernandez(74)
BCD
The Magpies began their delayed friendly fixtures against League One opposition at Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate at Thorpe Underwood - their pre-season base.

There was a debut for goalkeeper Mark Gillespie, recently signed as a free agent.
NUFC.com match report

2021 Burnley (h)
0-0 (0-0)
(3-4 on pens)
Carabao Cup Second Round
30,082
Newcastle's Carabao Cup campaign ended at the first hurdle with Steve Bruce's side eliminated on penalties.

Future Magpie Chris Wood was among the Clarets scorers, while Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron failed from 12 yards.
NUFC.com match report

2023 The U21s lost 0-1 at Reading in PL2 despite the Royals playing a man short for the closing 30 minutes.

There was a debut at the Madejski Stadium for defender Cathal Hafferenan following his arrival from AC Milan.
NUFC.com match report

2024 Bournemouth (a)
1-1 (0-1)
Premier League
P2, 4pts, 6th/20
Gordon(76)
Tavernier(37)
11,161
United left the South Coast with a point thanks to a favourable VAR intervention in second half added time, Anthony Gordon having cancelled out a Marcus Tavernier opener.

The Cherries looked to have won it when a corner was headed in by substitute Dango Ouattara, only for replays to show that the ball had bounced off his arm.
NUFC.com match report
PL highlights are online here

2025 Liverpool (h)
2-3 (0-1)
Premier League
P2, 1pt, 15th/20
Guimaraes(57), Osula(88)
Gravenberch(35), Ekitike(46), Ngumoha(90+10) 52,230
A game that had threatened to be overshadowed by the saga of Alexander Isak in the end served up enough incident and drama to banish thoughts of the absent striker - at least for 102 manic minutes at Gallowgate.

Sadly for Newcastle though, a gargantuan effort that saw them recover from falling 0-2 behind and going down to ten men left them empty-handed after a 16 year-old debutant scored the winner deep into added time.
NUFC.com match report
PL highlights are online here