NUFC Season Summaries

NUFC Season 1987/88

With Beardsley now gone too, United were once more being tipped to struggle until The Boy from Brazil arrived and the Fog on the Tyne was replaced by Samba Soccer. That was the theory anyway with Mirandinha being talked up by McFaul as the "new Beardsley" but any season in which John Cornwell managed 27 appearances cannot be all good.

Indeed although the little Brazilian certainly added a little magic to the Tyneside scene his absence through injury during the last two months of the season led to a young Irish teenager dubbed by some as the "new George Best" getting his chance.

Eighteen year old Michael O'Neill had been signed from for only but his scoring exploits towards the end of the season meant he overtook Mira in the scoring charts.

The League Cup brought an early exit to The Wombles of Wimbledon. In the FA Cup we progressed to the 5th Round for the second season running only to go out at home to Wimbledon once more. The Fourth Round Match was the 5-0 victory which would ultimately lead to Swindon being denied promotion to the First and Sunderland being allowed up in their stead.

An 8th placed finish was more than acceptable and the antics of Mira and Gazza certainly brightened our lives but nobody could overshadow Kenny's brilliant posterial ball control.