John Fraser (1899/00 to 1900/01)

Outside-Left John Fraser had earned himself a good reputation North of the Border and United signed him as a replacement for William Wardrope. He would stay two seasons and perform well, although illness blighted his last few months on Tyneside.

Notts County had beaten off competition from a number of clubs to sign Fraser from Dumbarton just twelve months previously and he had played a conspicuous game last year. However, he had refused to resign for the Lacemen for the 1899/00 season.

John was a tall, well-built young chap of great promise; he had a fine turn of speed and plenty of dash. He invariably played a sterling game and always managed to put in a good number of baffling centres.

A clever dribbler who combined tricky touches with his height and weight and was, with a great shot, excellent in front of goal.

During 1899/00 John only missed a handful of games and finished as second-top-scorer with a healthy 8 goals.

His second season proved to be more problematic and, as a result he missed a lot of games and was sometimes used at outside-right.

Fraser was “laid on the shelf” for a time after a rough game at Blackburn when one of his knees had to be put in splints as he had a collection of fluid behind his hamstring. And then he also suffered an ankle injury.

Both he and Carr missed the train and the game when Newcastle travelled to Dundee to play them on their annual Autumn Holiday.

Then when the Magpies met Middlesbrough in the FA Cup one of the visitors' fans found out that John did not have the longest of tempers. After his pets scored, the fan came onto the pitch to shake Fraser’s hand, and he got his just desserts when Fraser knocked his feet from under him and smashed his pipe. He was lucky to have only his weed-consumer damaged!

In March Fraser was selected for the Anglo-Scots in the trial match at Cathkin Park, but in the last few months of the season he was decidedly off-colour.

John lost 20lb when he became ill and had abcesses and boils on his body. So, at the end of the season, he sailed from the Tyne on a trip to the Mediterranean, with the hope that the voyage would thoroughly recruit his health.

Although it seemed to do the trick he moved to St Mirren in July as part of the deal struck which saw Bennie and Orr move in the opposite direction.