1995–96 Newcastle United F.C. season

Sir John Hall's millions allowed Newcastle to invest heavily in players from across the globe. With a total of some £16 million spent on the signings of Les Ferdinand, David Ginola, Warren Barton and Shaka Hislop before the start of the season, Kevin Keegan's team made a strong start. Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla and England midfielder David Batty were also attracted to the north-east in February 1996 for a combined total of around £11 million.

Newcastle led the league for virtually all of the season from August until mid-March, and by Christmas had established a 10-point lead over Manchester United. Though they lost 2-0 at Old Trafford on 27 December, they still managed to extend this lead to 12 points on 20 January 1996, putting them in prime position for the title with 15 matches remaining. However, Manchester United – bolstered by the return of Eric Cantona from suspension – then enjoyed a surge in form, while Newcastle dropped vital points away to West Ham and Manchester City. A 1-0 win for Alex Ferguson's team at St James' Park on 4 March ended Newcastle's 100% home record in the league and cut their lead to a single point, and further away defeats at Arsenal, Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers allowed Manchester United to overtake them and establish a lead that would ultimately prove decisive.

Ferguson's mind games added further heat to the title race and provoked an infamous rant from Keegan live on Sky Sports on 29 April 1996, following his team's 1-0 win at Leeds United. A 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest three days later left Newcastle needing to beat Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United needing to lose against Middlesbrough, if the title was to return to Tyneside for the first time since 1927. In the end, a 1-1 draw proved academic as Manchester United beat the Teessiders 3-0, thus winning by four points. Nonetheless, Newcastle's second place was their highest finish for decades – and a far cry from the position they had been in when Keegan had taken over four years earlier and third-tier football was looking inevitable.

Not to be deterred in his quest to bring the title back to Tyneside, Keegan purchased Newcastle-born striker Alan Shearer from Blackburn Rovers for a world-record fee of £15 million. However, he would resign as manager in January 1997.

Newcastle United's kit was manufactured by the company Adidas and sponsored by Tyneside-based brewery Newcastle Brown Ale.

Starts + substitute appearances)

No.	Pos.	Name	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total		Discipline
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	Pavel Srníček	14+1	0	2	0	1+1	0	17+2	0	0	0
2	DF	Warren Barton	30+1	0	2	0	5	1	37+1	1	4	0
3	DF	John Beresford	32+1	0	1	0	2	0	35+1	0	4	1
4	DF	Darren Peacock	33+1	0	2	0	5	2	40+1	2	3	0
5	MF	Ruel Fox	2+2	0	0	0	1	0	3+2	0	0	0
6	DF	Steve Howey	28	1	1	0	4	0	33	1	2	0
7	MF	Rob Lee	36	8	1	0	3	1	40	9	1	0
8	MF	Peter Beardsley	35	8	2	1	3	2	40	11	6	0
9	FW	Les Ferdinand	37	25	2	1	5	3	44	29	4	0
10	MF	Lee Clark	22+6	2	1+1	0	3	0	26+7	2	1	0
11	MF	Scott Sellars	2+4	0	0	0	2	1	4+4	1	0	0
11	FW	Faustino Asprilla	11+3	3	0	0	0	0	11+3	3	2	0
12	DF	Marc Hottiger	0+1	0	0	0	1+1	0	1+2	0	0	0
14	MF	David Ginola	34	5	2	0	4	0	40	5	6	0
15	GK	Shaka Hislop	24	0	0	0	4	0	28	0	0	0
16	FW	Darren Huckerby	0+1	0	0+1	0	0	0	0+2	0	0	0
17	MF	Jimmy Crawford	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0+1	0	0	0
18	MF	Keith Gillespie	26+2	3	0	0	4	1	30+2	4	3	0
19	DF	Steve Watson	15+8	3	1	0	3+1	1	19+9	4	0	0
22	MF	David Batty	11	1	0	0	0	0	11	1	2	0
23	MF	Chris Holland	0	0	0	0	0+1	0	0+1	0	0	0
25	FW	Paul Brayson	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
26	DF	Robbie Elliott	5+1	0	1+1	0	2	0	8+2	0	1	0
27	DF	Philippe Albert	19+4	4	2	1	2+1	1	23+5	6	4	0
28	FW	Paul Kitson	2+5	2	2	0	0	0	4+5	2	1	0

• FootballSquads – Newcastle United – 1995/96
• Newcastle United Football Club – Fixtures 1995–96
• Transfers (Keegan) – Senior / Reserve Arrivals & Departures
• The Great career – Profile
• Player Index – premierleague.com
• Season Details – 1995–96 – toon1892