‘Unforgettable’: The 1975 star Matty Healy on Newcastle trouncing of Man United he ‘can’t stop talking about’

Matty Healy returns to Newcastle tonight and in honour of The 1975 frontman we take a look back at one of his favourite ever Newcastle games.
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As Newcastle prepares to welcome The 1975 and Newcastle United supporting frontman Matty Healy on Tyneside this Wednesday night, NewcastleWorld remembers one of the singer's all-time favourite Magpies matches.

The son of proud Geordies Tim Healy and Denise Welch, Healy's return to the North East will be a homecoming for the star who lived his early years in the region before moving to the North West at a young age.

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With Geordie blood running thick through his veins, it's no surprise that Healy is a huge Newcastle fan. The star even has a tattoo of the club which sits proudly on his bicep.

Busy releasing Brit Award-winning music and playing some of the biggest stages in the globe, the singer doesn't find too much time to talk about his love of the club these days but has done interviews about football in the past.

One of those was with Football Burp back in 2013 and Healy spoke about his favourite Newcastle matches.

In response to being asked if he remembered his first ever game at St. James' Park, Healy said: "I don’t because when I was 2 or 3 I’d probably already been to about ten games – my dad had a season ticket so I was there all the time.

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"The first game that I really remember was probably against Sunderland around 1996…oh, actually I was one of the 4-3 Liverpool games, so it might be that.

"One of the best games I remember is when we beat Man United 5-0 – I haven’t stopped talking about that for about fifteen years!

The 1975 frontman Matty Healy (Image: Jordan Curtis Hughes)The 1975 frontman Matty Healy (Image: Jordan Curtis Hughes)
The 1975 frontman Matty Healy (Image: Jordan Curtis Hughes)

"I also remember going to Wembley to see us get smashed in cup finals by Arsenal and Man United."

The match Matty Healy has never stopped talking about was that 5-0 win over the Red Devils in 1996. The clash at St. James' Park came the year after the Magpies finished second in the Premier League, pipped to the title by Manchester United who were four points ahead.

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The next season, Sir Alex Ferguson's United rolled up at St. James' Park on October 20 with the two rivals both with a lot to prove. In those days United’s line-up included the likes of Peter Schmeichel, David Beckham and Eric Cantona, to name a few.

Newcastle celebrate scoring the first of five goals against Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)Newcastle celebrate scoring the first of five goals against Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)
Newcastle celebrate scoring the first of five goals against Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)

The Magpies had won six on the bounce, but some still posed questions over Kevin Keegan's defensive shortcomings. Nonetheless, the Newcastle boss lined up against his rivals to entertain, and the plan worked brilliantly.

Darren Peacock slotted home in the 12th minute before Frenchman David Ginola made it two shortly before half time. Les Ferdinand got the third in the 63rd minute before a beautiful Alan Shearer lob and a late Philippe Albert goal secured the 5-0 win.

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After the match Cantona famously congratulated Keegan on his “f-----g good team” in the tunnel and speaking after the match, Newcastle’s Peacock said: “The mood in the build-up was normal for Newcastle, but that doesn’t mean it is normal for other clubs. There was always a build-up when there was a big game and at that point we were rivaling Manchester United. The whole country were talking about us, we had three thousand [watching] training, the city was buzzing.

“Manchester United had been there and done it. They had the trophies, the players, the manager. But this felt different. We felt the supporters, the city, were right behind us, ready to help us push on an extra notch. Everybody felt that. It was expectation and fear and as you walked out on to the pitch it was very evident that the supporters were ready and we knew we had to be ready too.”

The 1975 and Matty Healy play the Utilita Arena in Newcastle tonight.