Newcastle United stars announced as official Great North Run starters for 2025
Previous races have been started by some of the region’s most famous faces, and how it is the turn of....
It has been announced the 2025 Great North Run will be started by Newcastle United players Jacob Murphy and Nock Pope.
The pair follow in a lineage of famous faces with links to the region including Ant and Dec, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and BMX Olympic medalist Kieran Reilly, who kicked off proceedings last year.
With the weekend marking the first international break of the Premier League season, the pair will be free to enjoy the event on Sunday, September 7.
Pope joined Newcastle in 2022 from Burnley and has made 83 appearances for the club while Murphy has been a mainstay at St James Park, first playing for the club in 201.
While the winger was born in London, his winger’s parents were born in the local area and he has family members in Gateshead.
This will be the first time active footballers will have started the half marathon, which kicks off in Newcastle and continues to the coast in South Shields.
The announcement was posted to the event’s social media, with Sir Brendan Foster hinting the duo will bring their Carabao Cup winners medals to the event.
Both players started in the Carabao Cup win, which gave Newcastle United their first silverware in 70 years.
The role usually involves the official starters on an elevated platform getting the first waves underway with an air horn or button which kicks off the race, before staying in their spot to wave to the masses who start their journey towards South Tyneside.