Newcastle United have had many fan favourites in its 130-year history. Headline grabbers like Hughie Gallacher, Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer will always be remembered - and rightfully so - for the hatful of goals they scored in Magpies colours.
However, there are several others who will never have a statue outside the ground but deserve to be remembered for what they offered to the black-and-white cause. Defenders are often a fine example of those who fail to receive the recognition they deserve.
ChronicleLive profiled all of the unsung heroes who have graced the St James' Park turf in the Premier League era...
Ciaran Clark
The Irish international may be out of the 25-man squad now, but he has been a stellar servant during his six-year stint. Clark was instrumental in securing promotion under Rafa Benitez and has scored vital goals from set-pieces when Newcastle lacked a prolific goalscorer.
Warren Barton
An attacking full-back, Barton spent seven years on Tyneside and came as whisker away from winning the Premier League in 1995/96 and regularly played in the Champions League. He now resides in the United States but still holds the Magpies close to his heart.
David Batty
While the other midfielders from the ‘Entertainers’ era embodied Kevin Keegan’s gung-ho approach, Batty provided some defensive steel in the engine room. A defensive midfielder before they were recognised, the former Leeds enforcer quietly went about his business while the flair players grabbed the headlines.
Paul Dummett
Kenton-born Dummett has spent almost a decade in the first-team ranks on Tyneside. Capable of playing left-back or centre-back, the 30-year-old rarely lets Newcastle down when called upon and has made over 200 appearances in a black-and-white shirt.
Danny Guthrie
Guthrie made more appearances than Joey Barton, Alan Smith or Nicky Butt during the Championship-winning season in 2009/10. He also provided cover for Yohan Cabaye two years later as the Magpies finished fifth - making him a worthy name on this list.
Jonas Gutierrez
Toon fans did not always universally love Gutierrez the way they do now. For large spells of his Magpies career, he polarised opinion. However, his work rate was always present and, when he scored the goal to keep the club up just one year after recovering from testicular cancer, he etched his name into Newcastle folklore.
Aaron Hughes
An academy product who made over 200 appearances for Newcastle, Hughes was one of Sir Bobby Robson’s most trusted lieutenants. The Northern Irishman was versatile, operating anywhere in the backline and occasionally filling in as a midfielder.
Peter Lovenkrands
Signed him on a free, from Germany! The Dane was pivotal in securing promotion to the Premier League under Chris Hughton. He forged a deadly strike partnership with Andy Carroll and chipped in with a few more once the big Geordie was sold to Liverpool the following season.
Javier Manquillo
The Spaniard is not the most technically gifted player on the books but he never lets the side down. He was excellent in the 1-0 victory against Leeds in January - the turning point of Newcastle’s season.
Daryl Murphy
Horses for courses is exactly what Newcastle were thinking when they signed Murphy in 2016. The target man is tried and tested in the Championship and he scored five crucial goals to help get the club back to the big time.
Darren Peacock
Peacock signed from QPR in 1994 and was a mainstay of the Magpies’ backline during the Keegan era. His centre-back partner, Phillipe Albert, often gets the plaudits but Peacock was just as pivotal to the side.
James Perch
Perch had a nightmare start to life on Tyneside, becoming the first player in top-flight history to receive five yellow cards in the first five games of the season. He initially looked like a duck out of water at Premier League level, but soon became a vital utility player, capable of filling in anywhere in defence and as a holding midfielder.
Ayoze Perez
Another player who polarised Newcastle fans. However, the facts do not lie and Perez was top goalscorer during the Mike Ashley era. The Magpies turned over a £29million profit on the former Tenerife youngster, who produced several crucial moments in a Toon shirt.
Antoine Sibierski
The Magpies took a punt on the former Man City man in 2006 with just two hours remaining in the transfer window. Sibierski quickly became a fan favourite at St James’ Park and regularly featured in the UEFA Cup campaign - scoring four goals. After losing Alan Shearer to retirement and Michael Owen through injury, Sibierski held his own in challenging circumstances.
Danny Simpson
A cornerstone of the 2009/10 Championship triumph, the young defender made Newcastle his home after several unsuccessful loan spells - including one at Sunderland. Simpson was known for his off-the-line clearances and was right-back during Alan Pardew’s successful season in 2011/12. An unlikely Premier League medal at Leicester four years later proved just how capable a defender he was.
Ryan Taylor
Astonishingly, Taylor’s free-kick against Sunderland in August 2011 remains the last time Newcastle won a Tyne-Wear derby. His iconic chant has since been hijacked by Kieran Trippier but the utility man will always be a respected figure on Tyneside.
Barry Venison
Venison holds the rare honour of being well-received by both Newcastle and Sunderland fans, having burst through at the Black Cats in the early 80s. The defender arrived from Liverpool as part of the side that earned promotion to the Premier League in 1993. He stayed at Newcastle for two more seasons before heading to Galatasaray in 1995.
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