My first ever match as a Newcastle United fan - The sights and the smells!

The initial match I attended as a supporter of Newcastle United was opposite Manchester City during the year 1968. My age at the time was close to eight years old.

My father had made the decision for us to arrive ahead of schedule in light of the game's significance. It marked the final match of the season, and Manchester City was battling their local rivals for the title.

My dad made me wait in the line for boys while he went to the men's line. Since I was feeling anxious, I didn't want to stand with the older boys, so I decided to wait with him in the queue for three shillings.

As we entered the premises, we started ascending the stairs towards the rear part of the Gallowgate section. The weather was delightful, being in May and all. I caught a whiff of various scents that were unfamiliar to me. There was the aroma of a fully operational brewery situated at a proximity, a multitude of intriguing tobacco fragrances, and a strong odor reminiscent of the toilets on my ancestors' garden plots.

Arriving at the highest point of the staircase led to the stunning scenery of St James' Park. The field was lush and vibrant, the pattern created by the lawnmower creating an impressive striped effect.

We positioned ourselves in the Strawberry corner, somewhere in the middle of the scoreboard and floodlight, and we stood about two-thirds of the way up from the ground. I sat on a concrete barrier while my dad stood behind me. Being an almost 8-year-old, I asked some silly questions like "Why does that area have a roof while this doesn't?"

The loudspeaker system didn't have the best quality and it played brass band music that included songs from both the UK and the USA. I believe they even played Mary Hopkins' "Those were the days" before the teams came out. If you're familiar with the Leazes singing section, you might remember their modified version of the song.

The stadium was pretty crowded at that time and in the past, all the teams used to sing YNWA. I personally liked the look of the Leazes center section, which was in black and white, but there were also some sky blue, maroon, and white fans around the edges. I think about 30% of the Leazes crowd were supporting Manchester City. The same can be said for the uncovered popular side, although there were slightly fewer City fans in the West Stand. I also recall an elderly female fan of Manchester City who would randomly ring a school bell.

When the teams stepped out of the West Stand, the sound of the audience was incredibly loud. Although I had a decent view of most of the field, I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming scent of tobacco and alcohol all around me.

The match kicked off and it was an incredible game, with goals being scored frequently by both teams. Unfortunately, we lost 4-3 in the end. Despite this, we stuck around to witness City celebrate their triumph as title-winners. The Newcastle fans who stayed to watch were good-natured and there was no hostility involved.

As a young boy, it was incredible to witness. That day was an amazing challenge for City. They had an incredible team consisting of Corrigan, Book, Doyle, Pardoe, Bell, Lee, Summerbee, Young and several others that escape my memory. Our lineup comprised of Davies, Robson, Foggon, McNamee, Clark, Burton, Arentoft and some others.

On the 11th of May in 1968, a Saturday, the following events took place:

Result: Newcastle United lost to Manchester City by 3 goals to 4.

In a recent football match, Newcastle's team led by B. Robson scored their first goal at the 14th minute, followed by Sinclair's goal at the 35th minute and McNamee's at the 86th minute. On the opposing team, Man City, Summerbee scored their first goal at the 13th minute, followed by Young's at the 31st minute and another at the 48th minute, and Lee's at the 63rd minute.

Skipping ahead to the following year, we managed to win a trophy. Unfortunately, it was the last significant one we've won.

At roughly the same moment that four people from Liverpool were being reprimanded by police in London for playing music on a rooftop in the city center.

In my opinion, this illustrates why it is crucial to cease the pattern of falling short. Now it's your turn, Amanda.