1926/27 Season - December

04/12/26 - West Ham [H] Won 2-0 [Gallagher Seymour] - 36,000 - 1st

Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth 4 - Harris, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.

Newcastle recorded their seventh successive home victory and took over from Sunderland at the top of the table. Two goals were scant reward for another masterful display of excellent teamwork.

Gallagher opened the scoring [21] when he "accurately timed a perfect centre from Seymour to interpose his head and turn the ball into the net at a point where the custodian could not intercept it".

Newcastle's second came from Seymour [55] following a mazy Gallagher dribble.

11/12/26 - Sheff Wed [A] Lost 2-3 [McDonald, McKay] - 35,000 - 4th

Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth, 4 - Harris, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.

United's League leadership was short lived as they fell to a disappointing defeat at Hillsborough where the "robust dashing football" of the homesters conquered the "skill and craft" of the vanquished visitors. United played in their change strip of white jerseys with black V collars.

United opened brightly, but Wednesday took the lead [12] when Wilson came for - but missed - a corner and left Trotter with an open goal. After The Owls had hit the bar United achieved parity [26] when McKay "weaved a sinuous passage goalwards" before setting up McDonald for an easy tap in. The Yorkshiremen regained the lead seven minutes later.

United adopted a more open style after the break but it was Sheffield who continued to carve out the better chances and they went further ahead on the hour. United stormed back and McKay scored a brilliant goal on the half-turn. They had chances to equalise but McDonald missed a sitter and a Gallagher shot rattled the crossbar.

18/12/26 - Leicester [H] Drew 1-1 [Seymour] - 25,000 - 3rd

Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth, 4 - McKenzie, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Boyd, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.

United threw away a home point by missing two penalties in a game they dominated and should have won easily. The high wind made conditions difficult, but Newcastle were guilty of slack passing and wasteful shooting. This, combined with an excellent performance from Foxes custodian Campbell meant United's winning run at St James' came to an end.

With the wind behind them The Magpies were on top from the start and Seymour scored after only six minutes with a deft flicked header from a pinpoint cross from Boyd. But Leicester equalised through Adcock [20]

Ten minutes before half-time referee controversially awarded the first penalty. Controversial because when right-back Black handled the ball it appeared that it had already crossed the line. "Surefoot" Hudspeth's penalty was saved.

Within ten minutes of the restart Black fouled Gallagher and the referee pointed to the spot again. Gallagher decided to try his luck but his chest-high shot was also easily gathered by Campbell.

25/12/26 - Cardiff [H] Won 5-0 [McDonald 3, Gallagher 2] - 35,000 - 2nd

Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth, 4 - Harris, 5 - Spencer, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.

Struggling Cardiff were no match for a rampant United who recorded their best ever win over the Bluebirds (since equalled but never beaten). Tom McDonald was the hero; scoring a first half hat-trick and filling in at centre-back when Spencer was injured after only a few minutes.

Despite playing into a strong wind United took the game to Cardiff and McDonald headed them in to the lead from a corner "placed with meticulous precision by Urwin". McDonald dropped back to play as the "pivot" but drove in his second [23] from a free-kick just outside the area. His third was the best of the lot as he made an "irresistible run" from the halfway line and beat Farquharson with a left-foot shot just inside the timber.

Gallagher superbly volleyed in the fourth [47] from another Urwin corner and also got the fifth [74] when he reacted first to a blocked effort from Seymour.

27/12/26 - Leeds [A] Won 2-1 [Seymour Urwin] - 48,620 - 2nd

Line Up: 1 - Wilson, 2 - Maitland, 3 - Hudspeth, 4 - Harris, 5 - Park, 6- Gibson, 7 - Urwin, 8 - McKay, 9 - Gallagher, 10 - McDonald, 11 - Seymour.

Leeds were struggling against relegation, but the Elland Road attendance record was beaten by almost 7,000 for United's visit. Before the match "interest was aroused in the shape of a Highlander who walked across the pitch and shook hands with Mitchell" (a former Toon player).

There was a sensational opening when Urwin scored after only three minutes when the Leeds custodian failed to gather a Gallagher shot. The Yorkshiremen "replied with vigour" but were let down by poor finishing. Defences dominated as play fluctuated rapidly; then seven minutes before the interval Jennings equalised.