Here is the first part of a three part series from one of our longest serving supporters of Newcastle United Football Club.
 Frank Brennan - played in that memorable 1947-1948 season
These are the memories of one of our readers, who goes by the name of Dinosaur, and who I asked a few weeks back to recall some of the memories of times gone by, long gone by.
Here is Dinosaur’s first installment - on winning promotion soon after the end of World Way 2, in the 1947-1948 season.
It will bring back memories for some, and will be a history lesson for others.
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At the time I had no intention of becoming an old timer.
It was 17th April 1948, I was 12 years old, and Newcastle United was playing Sheffield Wednesday in the old second division.
The 1947-1948 season was the second season after the end of the war, and I was a new season ticket holder. In 1946-1947 the lads had finished 5th, but had shown a lot of promise.
Newcastle had also scored a lot of goals, (13 of them against Newport County), we had the best attendance of any team in the country - even the reserves got thousands - and we could spend money like a drunken sailor.
The North East was football mad. Promotion or bust! Now there were only 3 more games to the end of the season.
At the top Birmingham were well away, and the one remaining place was up for grabs between us and Sheffield Wednesday.
If we won, we were up; draw or loss, who could tell?
St James’ Park was stuffed to the rafters - and beyond.
The official attendance 66,483; crowds milling in the streets; folks stuffed into any attic with a view; men actually out on roofs, looking down and in.
The Newcastle line-up for that game was:
Fairbrother; Cowell and Craig; Harvey, Brennan and Dodgin; Houghton, Stobbart, Milburn, Woodburn and Walker. (2-3-5 formation)
Off we went, to an earth shaking thunderous roar. Both teams rose to the occasion, playing with some skill and a lot of heart.
It was 1-1 at half time, end-to-end stuff, and 2-2 with ten minutes to go.
The crowd was frantic, the noise a continuous Niagara Falls of sound. Who would crack first?
Then… it happened. The ball came arcing over from mid field, headed for the Sheffield Wednesday 6-yard box.
It was all in slow motion, or so it seemed, as everyone converged on the spot, but one figure in black-and-white stands above the rest, its Frank Houghton, and he forces the ball over the line. We’re ahead 3-2!
Waves of sound you could have cut with a knife. Five minutes to go!
Then unbelievably, it happens again.
The ball is in the six yard box, everyone is hacking away, and it’s that man Houghton again, with superhuman strength, who muscles his way in and wrestles the ball into the net.
We’re up 4-2! Absolute pandemonium.
A roar that must have been heard in Whitley Bay, a pitch invasion, strong men weeping for joy.
But wait – what’s this? Being helped off the field is the staggering figure of Frank Houghton, his left arm hanging uselessly by his side.
In the dressing room he was found to have a lacerated leg, cerebral concussion, and a fractured arm. He had to be told that he had scored both late goals.
Frank had only been brought in from Ballymena in January, for a fee of £5.5K.
And those two goals were his only two goals of the whole season. He did play a few more games but never rose to such heights again.
A couple of years later, he became sick and it turned out he had TB, and the club sent him off to a Sanitarium in Switzerland, all expenses paid.
Nothing was too good for the man who had put us into the first division!
When he came back he moved to Exeter, for a better climate I suppose. But for one afternoon he had risen to the heights of a football god. What a game!
Though sixty years has passed, it is still the best that I have ever seen.
Here is the league table at the end of that season with Newcastle on 56 points from 42 games and second top to Birmingham City. Note the goal average (GA) which was the goals for - divided by the goals against, which was used in those days.
Tomorrow, Dinosaur talks about some of those great cup wins in the 1950s - please tune in again.
Comments are very welcome.
15 responses so far ↓
1 Patrick // Jul 24, 2008 at 0:13
Please bear with my lacking of historical knowledge. Is the Milburn in the squad Jackie Milburn? (add: nevermind, I have got the answer.)
Thanks Ed for this inspirational article. Certainly this is a good history lesson for people like me who’re still young.
2 rlw // Jul 24, 2008 at 0:16
nice trip
3 geordiekk // Jul 24, 2008 at 2:48
thats a great read cheers
4 Ed Harrison // Jul 24, 2008 at 8:18
Yes that’s the great Jackie Milburn - Wor Jackie!
5 clinta // Jul 24, 2008 at 8:21
Ah world war (not way) I atleast know that much about history huh? Nice read though ed, and really good article,
keep them coming.
6 The Entertainers // Jul 24, 2008 at 8:34
Thank you for sharing
7 WesToon // Jul 24, 2008 at 9:55
WOW,Thank u so much Ed,What a great article..Love to learn new things about my beloved Newcastle
8 Malaysian Toon // Jul 24, 2008 at 10:44
Great write up Dinosour. Thanks.
Ed- Stories like this once in a while to lift our spirits would be most welcome.
9 Toonlad // Jul 24, 2008 at 10:44
“…men actually out on roofs, looking down and in.” Yes, I believe they still do that in Newcastle these days, although they are usually stealing the copper or lead!
A lovely piece of yesteryear Ed, and thank you to the “ancient one” who put it together. Look forward to reading more of them in due course.
10 evildick // Jul 24, 2008 at 10:46
this is better than reading about rumours for sure! it’s nice sometimes to remember classic moments…
my favourite season is still the 93 keegan promotion season. we came out of nowhere and absolutely smashed the division.. beating leicester 7-1… good times!!!!
11 Lull // Jul 24, 2008 at 11:02
A good read of our history
Thanks Ed and Dinosaur for sharing them. Now let’s emulate the wonder years of our past! starting with FA Cup 
12 Eric // Jul 24, 2008 at 11:40
Thanks dinosaur. I was only 4 in 1948 and my Dad thought me far to small to go to a football match. I had to wait and see Milburn and the rest live until 1952. As soon as I saw those heroes in those stripes for real I was hooked. I know we are the best fans in the land. Even when, as a boy we lost, it was a priviledge to see our lads play. Only a Geordie has the right to criticise NUFC - nobody else! Look forward to more from Dinosaur.
13 NEZSURF // Jul 24, 2008 at 12:13
Great stuff Ed, I remember my Grandad reminiscing about such great times, players and teams we had in the 40’s and 50’s. Of course he loved Jackie Milburn, but his favourite was Joe Harvey(Mr Newcastle Utd) who was part of the team you are reffering to. The career and loyalty he showed towards our club as a fine half back, coach and manager was nothing short of incredible. I mean this is a man who was involved in our finest moments, from FA CUP triumphs in the 50’s to our last trophy the Fairs cup in 69. By the way Ed i was born not long after that and we haven’t won a scrap since… Apparently as a manager he was kinda like Keegan, brilliant man management helping players realise their potential through confidence. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe Hrvey in 1985, a fine man indeed who will be forever a NUFC legend, i just wish we could find a box to box midfielder now that was even half the man Joe Harvey was. Keep the old memories comin Ed.
14 JonGoodwyn // Jul 24, 2008 at 12:49
Interesting stuff, thanks very much for that Dinosour
And cheers Ed for organising it.
15 VeryNorthernMag // Jul 24, 2008 at 13:13
That was a cracking read.
Good stuff Ed and Dinosaur.
I love reading about the history of our great club.
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