As history proves, you don’t have to be the most talented player on earth to earn your place in the heart of the Geordie faithful.
Toon fans don’t demand an overly successful team, all they ask is for one that gives their all for the black and white shirt.
Through doing just that, several Magpies cult heroes have been born, and we’ve been dealt the difficult task of putting them into a starting XI.
So without further ado, here’s our Newcastle United cult hero XI.
Get in touch with us via @MouthOfTynePod and let us know which players would feature in yours:
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1. GK: Pavel Srnicek (1991-98 & 2006-07)
After a shaky start on Tyneside, the Czech earned a special place in the heart of all Newcastle fans, not only for his role in Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers side but in their promotion from the First Division as well. He left in 1998 but returned eight years later, with the reception he received from the Gallowgate End on his second debut still sending shivers down the spine to this day. Photo: Ben Radford
2. RB: Ryan Taylor (2009-15)
For many supporters, Taylor’s Newcastle career was defined by his memorable free-kick against Sunderland in 2011, so it’s easy to forget what he really went through on Tyneside. Taylor and the fans’ bond grew ever stronger when he returned to action in October 2014 after spending 26 months on the sidelines. Photo: AFP
3. James Perch (2010-13)
Perch, to this day, remains the only Newcastle player to get booked in his first five games. In fact, his debut season was something of a ‘write off’ but he’d soon prove everyone wrong - and ‘Perchinio’ was born. Right-back, left-back, central defence or centre midfield, the now 35-year-old was an unlikely star in the Alan Pardew side that secured a 5th place finish in 2011/12. Pepe Reina is still seething now… Photo: GRAHAM STUART
4. CB: Nikos Dabizas (1998-2003)
Little was known of the Greek centre-back when he moved to Tyneside from Olympiakos in March 1998. He quickly became a popular part of Kenny Dalglish’s under-performing Magpies side and featured in both FA Cup Final defeats against Arsenal and Manchester United in the late 90s. Always a goalscoring threat from set-pieces, Dabizas wrote his name into Magpies folklore when he headed the winner in a 1-0 Wear Tyne derby win against Sunderland in 2002 before celebrated in front of a frenzied away end at the Stadium of Light. Photo: Laurence Griffiths