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Middlesbrough 1 Newcastle 3 and pure nostalgia – Video : It was 28 years ago today

3 years ago
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When it comes to essential qualities in a football manager, the ability to persuade players to sign is right up there, with no better example than Kevin Keegan and the Robert Lee story.

In the years that followed, Keegan often referred to Lee as his best ever signing and certainly the manager’s later claim that the former Charlton player was the best midfielder in the Premier League, wouldn’t have found many arguments from Newcastle fans who watched him week in week out

Back in October 1992, United had started well after bouncing back from near disaster and almost falling into the third tier only months earlier, Newcastle found themselves top of the second tier table with Charlton just behind.

Desperate to return to The Valley, Charlton were forced to sell their biggest asset and Robert Lee joined Newcastle. However, Middlesbrough were then a Premier League club and had also been competing for Lee’s signature.

The story afterwards was that Keegan had told Lee that Newcastle was closer to London than Middlesbrough to help make his mind up but I think we all know the reality was that KK sold Robert Lee the dream of what he was hoping to build.

After coming on as a sub in a 1-0 win at Peterborough and then starting the 2-1 victory at Brentford, ironically, Newcastle were drawn against Boro in the League Cup and so only a couple of weeks after joining NUFC, exactly 28 years ago today, the two clubs met with Robert Lee starting for Newcastle.

Robert Lee was the star man at Ayresome Park as he pulled the strings on the wing and in midfield, with three quality goals, from David Kelly (2) and Liam O’Brien, settling the match and the two-legged tie (it had been 0-0 at St James Park) at 3-1, Wilkinson getting a consolation.

Enjoy that night again, Kevin Keegan’s magical style of football and a huge away following on the terraces behind the goal (when Kelly scores the first one).

Middlesbrough 1 Newcastle 3.

Pure nostalgia.

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