Newcastle reached their first semi-final in 18 years when they advanced to the last four of the Carabao Cup, beating Leicester on Tuesday evening.
The Magpies haven’t won a domestic trophy since 1955 and collected their last major silverware when they lifted the Intercity Fairs Cup 14 years later, but there have been near misses along the way, including two Premier League runners-ups. .
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the semi-finals the Tyneside club has competed in since they last tasted victory.
1974 FA Cup: Newcastle 2 Burnley 0
Malcolm Macdonald’s great stunt at Hillsborough has brought the six-time winners back to Wembley for the first time in almost two decades. However, the trip to the capital to face Liverpool was bound to end in disappointment, as future Magpies hero Kevin Keegan’s doubling of both sides of Steve Heighway’s strike saw Joe Harvey’s side 3-0.
1976 League Cup: Newcastle 3, Tottenham 2 (all)
John Pratt’s goal at White Hart Lane gave the Spurs a first-game lead, but Alan Gowling, Glen Keeley and Geoff Nulty scored for Gordon Lee’s men at St James’ Park on the return and Don McAllister for the visitors. he answered in vain. However, Dennis Tueart’s overhead shot would once again prove a false dawn as he secured a 2-1 final victory for Manchester City under the Twin Towers.
1998 FA Cup: Sheffield United 0 Newcastle 1
Alan Shearer was Newcastle’s hero at Old Trafford and stabbed home from close range after Sheffield United goalkeeper Alan Kelly parried the first headshot to take Kenny Dalglish’s Magpies to the final. Unfortunately for them, Arsenal’s double winners got in their way and goals from Marc Overmars and Nicolas Anelka took the trophy for the Gunners.
1999 FA Cup: Newcastle 2 Tottenham 0
The Magpies returned to Old Trafford 12 months later, this time with Shearer doubling with a piledriver and penalty in extra time to give him a trip to headquarters during Ruud Gullit’s short reign. Their misfortune was to face Manchester United, who won 2-0 with goals from Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes on their way to an unprecedented three-pointer.
2000 FA Cup: Newcastle 1 Chelsea 2
Sir Bobby Robson was at the helm when Newcastle last played at Wembley, but once again the big day ended in tears. The Toon Army once again dared to dream when Rob Lee canceled Gus Poyet’s halftime opening, but the future Sunderland boss struck again 18 minutes later to prevent the club from reaching the final for the third consecutive year.
2004 UEFA Cup: Marseille 2 Newcastle 0 (overall)
Robson guided the Magpies to the last four in Europe as they came close to making up for the disappointment of losing their Champions League qualifier to Partizan Belgrade in 2003-04. In the first game at Tyneside, they were deprived of the services of Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas and Lee Bowyer, tied 0-0 and Didier Drogba’s stunt double overtake the French at the Stade Velodrome.
2005 FA Cup: Newcastle 1 Manchester United 4
Three days after seeing UEFA Cup hopes smashed in Portugal’s quarter-final stage by Sporting Lisbon, Graeme Souness’s team went head-to-head with United at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and was distinctly second best. Ruud van Nistelrooy scored twice, while Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo found the back of the net as Shola Ameobi replied.