It's good to be back at St James' Park

Newcastle United get 3 points on their return to the Premier League after Cup success

Thursday 3rd April, 2025

Wonderful to be back at St James' Park on Wednesday night as the team got back to Premier League action. With 10 games left this season, the push for a Champions League place starts now and Newcastle passed their first test against Brentford with a 2-1 win.

All thanks to a Sandro Tonali wonder strike.

St James' Park under the lights

Mark McGhee and Archie Knox join Sports Travel Tom at St James' Park

St James' Park, home of Newcastle United

The atmosphere was raucous, fans still in celebratory mood two and a half weeks on from the win at Wembley over Liverpool. The players however, needed to be focussed.

Being a match day MC at the Club is a huge privilege for me as a Newcastle United fan and a brilliant opportunity to spend time with the Club's legends as my guests for each home game.

Former Newcastle player Mark McGhee was my guest for the evening, a player who had two spells at the club and the only player to play for the team across three decades. First joining the Club in 1977 until 1979 and then returning in 1989 for two more seasons into the 90's.

You can thank me next time that question comes up in your pub quiz.

During his second spell at St James' Park, he partnered Micky Quinn upfront and the two of them amassed over 60 goals. An incredible achievement.

Mark, a delightful man who loves his football was clearly delighted to be back at St James' Park. Fortune had it that Mick Quinn was also a guest for the match and the two of them, who had not seen each other for a number of years, were only to be happy to catch up and think back to their days at St James'.

Mark also brought along his friend, Archie Knox, who was Sir Alex Ferguson's and Walter Smith's long-time assistant. Archie Knox is a legend in the game, especially in Scotland. He was Ferguson's assistant at Aberdeen during the glory days of Scottish league and cup titles and European Cup wins. Knox then followed Fergie to Manchester before becoming Walter Smith's assistant at Rangers and Everton.

McGhee was actually one of Fergie's first signings at Aberdeen and it was a glorious time for him as a player. In those days under Ferguson and Knox, Aberdeen with McGhee won the Scottish Premier Division twice, three Scottish Cups and beat Real Madrid, thanks to a McGhee assist for the winner, in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

As goos as he was as a player, he is also a great guest to have on a match day. Insightful in his observations, funning with his stories and very happy to sign as many programmes as possible.

St James' is always special under the lights and with five more home games to go this season, there's no doubting every home game will be a cauldron of noise as we try and push the team towards Champions League qualification.