8 Childhood Newcastle United Fans Who (Eventually) Signed As Players

7. Jacob Murphy

Jacob Murphy Child Newcastle United
Ryan Browne/EMPICS Sport

Norwich City winger Jacob Murphy hasn't yet signed for Newcastle, but with a bid in the region of £12 million accepted yesterday, he'll soon be on his way. When the transfer is completed, Murphy will become the latest boyhood NUFC fan to join the Magpies, and he has reportedly turned down an offer from Crystal Palace to make his dream move a reality.

Born in London, Murphy has been on Norwich's books since 2006, and debuted for the first team in the 2013/14 season. A series of loan moves followed, but the 22-year-old finally asserted himself as a guaranteed starter last season, notching 8 goals in 37 Championship appearances, becoming one of the league's most dangerous players.

Murphy's fondness for the Magpies comes from his parents, whose support of the club was forged from a mutual love of Kevin Keegan. A photo of Jacob and twin brother Josh (who also plays for Norwich) clad in old NUFC kits as children hit social media last week:-

It's easy to be cynical when a new signing suddenly declares their lifelong love for their new club, but in Murphy's case, the affection seems genuine.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.