Nostalgia: The Clash that Captured Newcastle United’s Disheartening Season

As the 2004-05 Premier League season commenced, Newcastle United found themselves aiming to defend their impressive fifth-place finish from the previous campaign. This achievement allowed the Magpies to secure a spot in the UEFA Cup, a competition in which they last reached the semi-finals.

Under the stewardship of the legendary Sir Bobby Robson, Newcastle made headlines by signing renowned Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert from Barcelona, sparking hopes for an even more prosperous season.

However, reality would paint a starkly different picture. Newcastle’s disappointing season was ultimately marred by on-field drama—a brawl broke out between teammates, a chaotic episode that unfolded exactly 20 years ago on April 2nd, 2005.

Robson’s Dismissal

The beginning of the 2004-05 season was filled with optimism in the northeast of England, amplified by the acquisition of the aforementioned Kluivert.

His decision to join the Magpies was influenced by the club’s recent successes, lofty ambitions, his star teammate Alan Shearer, and the esteemed Bobby Robson, a man with extensive experience in both Dutch football and at Barcelona.

Unfortunately, Newcastle’s season got off to a dismal start, failing to secure a win in their first four matches. By August 2004, manager Bobby Robson was dismissed, concluding a five-year spell at the helm. Scot Graeme Souness was appointed as his replacement.

Despite Robson’s early exit, Kluivert remained at Newcastle and performed admirably, netting 13 goals throughout the season.

This made him the second-highest goal scorer for Newcastle, trailing only behind the iconic Shearer, who racked up 19 goals (11 of which came in the UEFA Cup, making him the tournament’s top scorer).

Kluivert’s contributions included crucial goals; he single-handedly secured victories against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup, as well as scoring five times during the club’s UEFA Cup campaign.

While Newcastle struggled in the Premier League, hopes for success in both the UEFA Cup and FA Cup were still alive.

However, the club’s fortunes took a turn for the worse in what would be dubbed ‘black April’. After winning the first leg 1-0 against Sporting in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, Newcastle faced them in Lisbon.

The Magpies initially held a 1-0 lead again, but the home side equalised before halftime. A string of injuries saw Newcastle falter, ultimately losing 4-1 and exiting the UEFA Cup.

Just ten days later, Newcastle sought redemption in the FA Cup, standing on the brink of the final.

Yet, they were met with a formidable Manchester United side, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who handed Newcastle a crushing 4-1 defeat. This loss dashed any hopes of silverware for the season.

Newcastle’s performance that season fell far short of expectations, which were understandably high given the calibre of players in their squad, including Shay Given, Titus Bramble, Jermaine Jenas, Shola Ameobi, and of course, Shearer.

The squad had also welcomed several players before and during the season, including Kluivert, James Milner, Nicky Butt, Steven Carr, and Jean-Alain Boumsong.

Teammate Tensions

On paper, the team appeared formidable, yet tensions simmered within. This was particularly evident during a home match against Aston Villa, which ended in a disappointing 3-0 loss for Newcastle.

In a shocking moment, teammates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer erupted into a physical altercation during the game.

Neither player had committed an offence against their opponents, yet both were shown red cards for unsportsmanlike conduct. They became the second and third Newcastle players to be dismissed in that match, following Steven Taylor’s earlier red card for a handball that led to a penalty for Aston Villa.

As a result of this unusual incident, Dyer and Bowyer faced significant fines from the club, along with suspensions from the Football Association—Bowyer was banned for four matches, while Dyer received a three-match suspension.

Perhaps this incident at the start of April foreshadowed the disappointing outcomes that would dominate the rest of the month for the Magpies, serving as an unfortunate highlight of a season that saw Newcastle United finish in 14th place in the Premier League.