8 Most Ridiculous Newcastle United Rumours That Never Happened

3. Goodbye St James'?

Granted this isn't a bona-fide rumour but Newcastle came very, VERY close to leaving St James' Park in the mid-nineties as Sir John Hall pressed ahead in his quest to create a "Sporting Club of Newcastle".

With the expansion capital of St James' restricted due to the adjacent Georgian Leazes Terrace it meant the Magpies ran into difficulties as they attempted to revamp and modernise their prestigious home to move in line with the progress Kevin Keegan's 'Entertainers' were making on the field.

Thus, in 1995, Hall submitted plans to relocate two pitch lengths away to Leazes Park and build a new £65 million all-purpose 55,000-seater stadium, while St James' would undergo an extensive redevelopment in the view to being the new home of Newcastle Falcons rugby club along with the basketball and ice hockey teams attached to Hall's empire.

Although the plans were initially welcomed by the City council - our original plan was to erect a 75,000 capacity ground at Gateshead's International Stadium - but the Club quickly ran into opposition with pressure group "No Business on the Moor" gaining 36,000 signatures on petition, while it also stirred a political debate.

Eventually it was decided to expand St James' and to this day we remain at our football cathedral complete with 52,000 pews for us disciples.