Newcastle United have had some sensational goalkeepers between the sticks over the years.

As far as Newcastle United’s club history has stretched, they’ve needed an ever-reliable shot-stopper between the sticks.

You’d have to be mad to be one, right? Well, many have taken on the task around St. James’ Park, but few have lived in the memories of Magpies supporters.

But the ones that have, have cemented themselves in Toon folklore. So, with this – here are Newcastle United’s top 10 goalkeepers of all time, ranked from worst to best.

10 – Steve Harper

Starting off with a player that has shown immense loyalty to the club, it’s Steve Harper. He’s Newcastle’s longest-serving player after serving between 1993 and 2013, sticking around at the club even with fierce competitors present that will be revealed later down the line.

Even after his playing days, he’s stuck around Tyneside. He became a first-team coach for Newcastle and a goalkeeping coach for the Northern Ireland national team. His prolonged stint at the club means he deserves a place on our list given this merit alone.

9 – Mike Mahoney

English shot-stopper Mike Mahony played for the Magpies between 1975 and 1978. He featured 108 times for the Tyneside club and was a commanding figure between the sticks during his time around the Newcastle United Training Centre.

8 – Willie McFaul

Willie McFaul joined Newcastle United from Linfield after impressing in a friendly match, and it took just two years for him to establish himself as Newcastle’s first-choice between the sticks.

His most notable moment in a Toon jersey has to be helping his side reach the 1974 FA Cup Final, where they were sadly beaten by Liverpool.

McFaul was also appointed caretaker manager of the Toon in August 1985 after Jack Charlton had resigned. He made waves almost immediately, in his first fixture making the bold decision where he made the bold decision to make 18-year-old academy graduate Paul Gascoigne the focal point of his side.

He was then given the job on a permanent, and remained on Tyneside for three years, before being sacked after a poor start to the season in 1988.

7 – Martin Dubravka

Martin Dubravka has been one of the finer shot-stoppers on Tyneside in recent history. The Slovakian made his move permanent after a very successful loan spell on the 30th of May 2018.

He went from strength to strength, Dubravka was recognised as the 2018 Player of the Year by the North East Football Writers’ Association, joining the likes of big names such as Alan Shearer and Kevin Keegan. He also won the Club’s Player of the Year award the very next season.

Sadly, this was his peak at Newcastle, after a bad injury, in the coming years he’d fall way out of favour. Still a good keeper though.

6 – Jimmy Lawrence

James Lawrence was a Scottish goalkeeper who played for Newcastle between 1904 and 1922. He’s another player etched into the illustrious history of the club.

He played with Newcastle for a whopping eighteen years, and still to this day holds the record for making the most appearances for them with 496. A true Newcastle legend.

5 – Tim Krul

The Dutchman Tim Krul established himself as one of the Premier League‘s best at Newcastle United. Joining the club in 2005, he showcased his talent through various loan spells before cementing his place as the first-choice keeper.

Krul became renowned for his shot-stopping abilities and commanding presence in goal. His standout performance came in 2013 against Spurs, making a ludicrous 14 saves in a single match.

However, injuries hindered his consistency, and managerial changes sometimes affected his role. Despite these challenges, Krul remained a fan favourite for his loyalty and dedication to the Magpies before departing in 2017 after a loan spell at Ajax.

4 – Ronnie Simpson

Ronnie Simpson joined Newcastle in 1951 and would end up spending nine years on Tyneside – which saw him obtain silverware in one of the club’s most successful patches.

He won the FA Cup twice with the Geordies, taking over as their regular goalkeeper from Jack Fairbrother, in 1952 and 1955.

3 – Nick Pope

Nick Pope signed for Newcastle United on 23 June 2022 on a four-year contract for around £10 million. That can be safely classed as money well spent. Although not one of Eddie Howe’s more expensive signings, he proved one of the most integral.

Pope quickly established himself as one of England’s top-flight finest shot-stoppers and led Newcastle to a Champions League spot in his very first season. A fantastic purchase.

2 – Pavel Srnicek

Pavel Srnicek fought for his place in the Newcastle United team throughout “The Entertainers” era. A fan favourite and regarded well by all of his former team-mates, the Czech keeper even made sure to make Newcastle his final stop when he returned for a short stint in 2006.

He was part of one of the greatest sides in Newcastle history and just missed out on top spot.

1 – Shay Given

When Kenny Dalglish raided Blackburn in July 1997 and secured what would prove to be a bargain £1.5m transfer for Shay Given – no one knew the indelible mark he’d leave on Tyneside.

The goalkeeper went on to enjoy a 12-year stay at St James’ Park which featured 463 games. His record places the Republic of Ireland hero third in the Magpies’ all-time appearances list.

While his time at Newcastle ended in shock, moving to Manchester City. Given had proven himself to be a loyal and fantastic servant over the 12 preceding years. He was even awarded club captain during his time. A true Newcastle legend and the best keeper the club has ever seen.

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