1987–88 Newcastle United F.C. season

During the 1987–88 season, Newcastle United participated in the Football League First Division. Following the sale of star player Peter Beardsley to Liverpool for a club record fee of £1.9 million, manager Willie McFaul recruited the Brazilian international Mirandinha. With the Brazilian joining Paul Goddard and Paul Gascoigne, the team made a mediocre start to the season. Midfielder Glyn Hodges arrived from Wimbledon but only managed seven games in his 86-day stay, before heading back south. McFaul signed young Irishman Michael O'Neill in the winter; hailed as a new George Best by some,^[who?] the 18-year-old went on a run of 12 goals in 19 games that saw Newcastle finish 8th, their highest finish since being promoted back to the top flight.

Newcastle United

1987–88 season
Chairman	Stan Seymour, Jr.
Manager	Willie McFaul
Stadium	St James' Park
First Division	8th
FA Cup	Fifth round proper
League Cup	Third round
Full Members Cup	Second round
Top goalscorer	League: Michael O'Neill (12) All: Michael O'Neill Mirandinha (13)
Highest home attendance	28,796 (vs Wimbledon)
Lowest home attendance	7,787 (25 November 1987 vs Shrewsbury Town, Full Members Cup)
Average home league attendance	21,059
Home colours Away colours Third colours
← 1986-87 1988-89 →

League table

Main article: 1987–88 Football League § First Division

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
6	Arsenal	40	18	12	10	58	39	+19	66	Qualified for the Football League Centenary Trophy
7	Wimbledon[a]	40	14	15	11	58	47	+11	57	Qualified for the Football League Centenary Trophy and disqualified from the European Cup Winners' Cup[1]
8	Newcastle United	40	14	14	12	55	53	+2	56	Qualified for the Football League Centenary Trophy
9	Luton Town[b]	40	14	11	15	57	58	−1	53	Disqualified from the UEFA Cup[2]
10	Coventry City	40	13	14	13	46	53	−7	53

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:

1. Wimbledon would have qualified as FA Cup winners.
2. Luton Town would have qualified as League Cup winners.

Kit

English company Umbro remained Newcastle United's kit manufacturers for the eighth consecutive season, and introduced a new kit for the season. Greenall's Beers remained kit sponsors, although the "Beers" was dropped from the kit sponsorship.^[3]

Appearances, goals and cards

(Substitute appearances in brackets)

Pos.	Name	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Simod Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
GK	Gary Kelly	37	0	3	0	2	0	2	0	44	0
GK	Martin Thomas	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	4	0
GK	Tommy Wright	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
DF	John Anderson	33 (2)	1	3	0	1	0	1	0	38 (2)	1
DF	John Bailey	3 (1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3 (1)	0
DF	Peter Jackson	28	2	3	0	3	0	2	0	36	2
DF	Neil McDonald	40	3	3	1	3	1	2	0	48	5
DF	Glenn Roeder	37	1	3	0	3	0	0	0	43	1
DF	Kevin Scott	4	1	0	0	0	0	2	1	6	2
DF	Kenny Wharton	28 (3)	2	3	0	0 (1)	0	2	0	33 (4)	2
MF	Ian Bogie	3 (4)	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	5 (4)	1
MF	John Cornwell	20 (4)	1	1	0	2	0	2	0	25 (4)	1
MF	Albert Craig	1 (2)	0	0 (1)	0	0	0	2	0	3 (3)	0
MF	Paul Gascoigne	34 (1)	7	3	3	3	1	2	0	42 (1)	11
MF	Glyn Hodges	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
MF	David McCreery	35	1	1	0	3	0	0	0	39	1
MF	Michael O'Neill	19 (2)	12	2 (1)	1	0	0	1 (1)	0	22 (4)	13
MF	Paul Stephenson	5 (2)	0	0	0	1 (1)	0	0	0	6 (3)	0
MF	Andy Thomas	1 (3)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1 (3)	0
MF	Brian Tinnion	15 (1)	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	18 (1)	1
FW	Paul Goddard	35	8	3	1	3	1	0	0	41	10
FW	Darren Jackson	24 (7)	2	3	1	3	1	0	0	30 (7)	4
FW	Anth Lormor	3 (2)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3 (2)	2
FW	Mirandinha	25 (1)	11	2	0	2	1	2	1	31 (1)	13

Coaching staff

^[4]

Position	Staff
Manager	Willie McFaul
Assistant Manager	Colin Suggett
First Team coach	John Pickering

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Transfers

In

Date	Player	From	Fee
July 1987	Glyn Hodges	Wimbledon	£300,000 [5]
August 1987	Mirandinha	Palmeiras	£575,000 [5]
October 1987	Michael O'Neill	Coleraine	£100,000 [5]
March 1988	Tommy Wright	Linfield	£30,000[6][7]

Out

Date	Player	To	Fee
July 1987	Joe Allon	Swansea	Free
September 1987	Glyn Hodges	Watford	£300,000

Total spending: £30,000

External links

• Newcastle United Football Club - Fixtures 1987-88
• Season Details - 1987-88 - toon1892