There could be no one with a better right than Jackie Miiburn to trace the history of Newcastle United over the last 40 years. as he does in this fascinating inside story of a famous club. Jackie has been identified with Newcastle United ever since the early 1950s, when, as the centrepiece of a magnificent team, he lifted three FA Cup Winners’ medals at Wembley. Few will ever forget his two stunning goals against Blackpool in 1951, or
his header after only 45 seconds against Manchester City four years later—still the quickest ever goal in a Wembly final. He won thousands of hearts as one of soccer's most exciting and graceful goal-scorers, and his involvement with the club has remained close to this day.
Milburn was a legend. A centre-forward who wore the black and white stripes of Newcastle United and the white shirt of England with equal success. Born in the shadow of the pithead at Ashington in Northumberland, he is part of a unique footballing family tree that saw four cousins play League football and two other members, Bobby and Jackie Charlton, become World Cup winners with England.
Milburn's speed of foot matched his initials—JET—and he blossomed through the war years to play for United alongside such household names as Bobby Mitchell, Joe Harvey, Len Shackleton, George Flobeldo and Frank Brennan, as well as in the same England side as Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney.
He recalls United’s Second Division championship success of 1965, their magnificent triumph in the 1969 European Fairs Cup, and their return to Wembley for the 1974 FA Cup final and 1976 League Cup final. All are recaptured in vivid detail
along with four eventful seasons of European competition.
Newcastle United, of course, have always been a big club in every sense of the word, boasting larger-than-life characters, and Milburn talks of them all: from Super Mac, the only player ever to match his own popularity with the Tyneside fans, to the
bulent managerial years of Gordon Lee and Richard Dinnis. Now a proud Freeman of the City of Newcastle, Wor Jackie weaves a magical pattern of memories liberally illustrated with more than 150 photographs and personal mementos that make it a must for football fans everywhere. One of the “Scrapbook” series on great clubs, following in the footsteps of Bob Paisley (Liverpool) and Sir Matt Busby [Manchester United}, this new volume more than lives up to the exciting standards set by its predecessors.
Published by Readers Union, London, 1981, 144 pages with illustrations on every page
book and Dust jacket are in very good condition
