It's no secret, space is tight in and around St. James' Park. The East Stand is hemmed in by listed buildings on Leazes Terrace, land behind the Gallowgate End has been sold and earmarked for a non-football development, while the Milburn Stand and Leazes End are already seemingly at capacity.
Add in the fact that Alan Shearer's statue is moving back to official stadium land from Barrack Road next month and space is running out. But it's the sign of a club rich in history that supporters still ponder whether or not an area can be found for just one or two more legends to be immortalised in bronze.
Many (not least the club's official historian in this very article) feel three statues - Jackie Milburn, Sir Bobby Robson and Alan Shearer are enough for now. But trips to stadiums like Old Trafford and The Emirates show how multiple legends can be blended into the physical space of a stadium tastefully.
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With new owners actioning moves such as the restoration of the Shearer statue, not to mention his name reappearing above the door of the Gallowgate Bar, another statue addition might be on their lengthy to-do list. The question is, who is next in the queue?
Here's a case for five potential choices:
Joe Harvey by Andrew Musgrove - Social Media Editor
Legend is often a term that is used too easily, but in the case of Joe Harvey, it's perfectly apt. A man who won two FA Cups as captain of Newcastle United and a third as part of the coaching team, before leading them to European glory as a manager in 1969.
That win remains Newcastle's last major cup, and while Harvey has a plaque dedicated to him at St James' Park, there's a strong argument he deserves much more. If fans were to debate 'who is the greatest NUFC captain ever?' and who is the NUFC greatest manager ever?' - only Kevin Keegan, Glenn Roeder and Harvey could lay claim to both, but only one won a major honour in either role.
If that isn't enough to convince you of Harvey's greatness, I'm not sure what will! If one person deserves a statue - although I'd rather see the East Stand named after him, it is Harvey.
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Stan Seymour by Paul Joannou - Newcastle United Historian
First of all I think there’s probably enough statues to be frank, however if there was going to be another statue, for me historically the person who deserves recognition above anybody else is Stan Seymour. He was a player, cup winner, championship winner, director, chairman, manager of the FA Cup winning team and a servant for many, many years.
His son was chairman as well, so without doubt, he’s head and shoulders above everybody in the history of the club who isn’t recognised anywhere. Once Alan gets moved to his rightful place I think there’s too many now.
We've got Jackie, Sir Bobby and Alan, we should create perhaps a heroes wall like where we have the Joe Harvey plaque and just erect perhaps large plaques of those heroes rather than more statues because I think we’re getting to a point where there is enough.
If you get a statue you have to be really special to be honest and there’s a lot of special players in Newcastle’s history, we could have dozens of them round St. James’ Park, but you need to draw the line and be sensible about it.
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Hughie Gallacher by Matt Ketchell - Football Editor
Wor Hughie arrived on Gallowgate from north of the boarder in 1925 and put up stunning numbers as a striker: 143 goals in 174 games for Newcastle. He was a character, a hard man, a playboy, ruthless with either foot and even his head (a Hughie statue would be the most cost effective - the striker stood at just 5' 5")
His life could be a film script: religion, bereavement, marriage controversy, alcohol, style, a tragic conclusion - all separate to what he did on a pitch. He cared. He once pushed a referee into a plunge bath, he challenged Newcastle directors, and even the law, and remains the last captain to lift a top division league title at St. James' Park (contributing 39 goals in 41 games in that 1926-27 season).
There is barely any moving footage of wee Hughie, which doesn't help his case in this debate. However, he has played his part in a Newcastle record that stands to this day. The club's record attendance: 68,386 came to see him in 1930, with 10,000 more locked out. Even more remarkable was that he was playing for Chelsea at the time.
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Kevin Keegan by Tom Maley - Sculptor
Keegan? Joe Harvey? Gallacher? Yes, to all of the above I would say. I think because I’m getting older now perhaps I’m getting more nostalgic, I do look at other players.
I can see why the public might not go for Hughie Gallacher, if money was no object and you had the space you would do all the old legends. Keegan is a living legend, the list goes on. It should be whatever the people want, it’s the fans' club, you can’t impose these things. You have to listen to what they want.
If I had to pick one - Keegan. I think because everyone was watching The Entertainers. In fact in a recent series of seahorse sculptures I’ve made, I produced 11. One for each player in a team, but I did a 12th too - that is meant to be Keegan.
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Gary Speed by Ciaran Kelly - Newcastle United Writer
As some of the others have rightly pointed out, Kevin Keegan and Joe Harvey deserve statues for what they did for the club but, to throw another name into the mix, I think a permanent tribute to Gary Speed would be really powerful. This could be erected in an area outside the stadium where supporters could come at any time of the week to not only remember a fan favourite, brilliant footballer and model professional but, also, to reflect and talk.
Given the tragic circumstances surrounding Speed's death, that would be a fitting tribute to ensure the midfielder's legacy lives on in the years to come as we all continue to talk more about our mental health. There were other players who scored more goals, played more games and actually won trophies at Newcastle United, but few were quite as committed as Speed, who absolutely loved playing for the club. The Welshman should never be forgotten.
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