All 21 Of Newcastle's Premier League Opening Day Fixtures

Date: 17 August 1996

Venue: Goodison Park

Result: 0-2

Starting XI: Hislop; Watson, Howey, Albert, Beresford; Gillespie, Lee, Batty, Ginola (Beardsley); Ferdinand, Shearer.

Goals: None

Yellow Cards: Albert, Beresford

Debuts: Shearer

Manager: Kevin Keegan

What Happened?

Less than a week after being thrashed and humiliated by Manchester United in the Charity Shield, Newcastle endured a throughly miserable trip to the blue half of Merseyside on the opening day. Alan Shearer made his Premier League bow for his boyhood club following his world record £15 million switch from Blackburn, but even he couldn't motivate Kevin Keegan's deflated Magpies. David Unsworth's penalty and a goal from future Newcastle legend Gary Speed was enough for Everton to secure victory.

League Position: 16th

Was It A Sign Of Things To Come?

Yes and no. Normal service was resumed four days later when Shearer curled home a delicious free kick on his home debut against Wimbledon. He and Les Ferdinand spearheaded what must be regarded as the most potent attacking partnership in Newcastle history, plundering over 50 goals in 1996/97. Keegan dramatically quit in January, just months after the 5-0 thrashing of Manchester United and less than a week following the  7-1 rout against Tottenham, to be replaced by Kenny Dalglish. The Scot steadied the Black and White ship, steering his new side to a second place finish and Champions League football for the first time.

Final League Position: 2nd