Graham Oates (1975/76 to 1977/78)

Manager Gordon Lee returned to his former club, Blackburn, to sign Graham Oates in a joint deal. A utility player he would be used in defence, midfield and occasionally attack. Newcastle would be the only top-flight team he would play for so in some respects his time on Tyneside was the pinnacle of his career. Unfortunately, almost from the day he arrived, he was regularly the target of abuse from the terraces which must have made his stay pretty miserable.

He made his first appearance as a substitute in the home match with Manchester United and played in all the games until the end of the season. Unfortunately for him he is best remembered for his first start at St. James' against Leeds. The game was only a couple of minutes old when under no pressure and almost 20 yards out he blasted the ball past a bemused Roger Jones to put Leeds ahead.

Graham was used as a striker at the start of the 1976/77 season, but failed to find the net. He found himself on the end of abuse from the terraces and after the home game with Bristol City in August Lee pleaded : "it's extremely hard on a player who has made only a couple of appearances at home. I think they should give him a chance".

But things got worse for him in March. Newcastle were beating second-placed Ipswich 1-0 at St. James’, but a gaffe by Oates allowed Wark to equalise just before full-time. Three days later United won comfortably at home to Norwich, but Oates was heckled as he took to the pitch.

With 1977/78 being an all-time catastrophe of a season the mood of the crowd had become considerably darker and abuse was hurled at many of the players. Needless to say Oates was one of the main recipients and in the home loss against Derby he gave a double Harvey Smith to his critics in the Popular Side.

He was immediately transfer listed and offered to Carlisle in a swap deal for Graham Oates, but the Cumbrians preferred the money. United also accepted a bid from Peterborough only for the player to turn them down.

A few weeks later Richard Dinnis was sacked and replaced by Bill McGarry who promised that "everybody here will get a chance to prove themselves. True to his word he recalled Oates and gave him the hallowed Number 9 shirt claiming optimistically that: "I believe the Geordies are warm hearted people who forgive and forget".

At the end of January he went to Mansfield on a month’s loan and in March he joined the American exodus, signing for Detroit express.