UK Stadiums: St James' Park, Newcastle, England
St James' Park in Newcastle, north east England, is the home ground of Premier League team Newcastle United. The stadium has hosted England internationals, rugby games, and concerts and is known for its passionate atmosphere created by the Toon Army.
Capacity & Stands
The stadium has a present capacity of 52,264 making it one of the largest grounds in England. The record attendance for a football match is 68,386, set in 1930, for a First Division match versus Chelsea.
The stands at St James' are the Milburn Stand (West), the Leazes Stand (North), the Gallowgate End (South), and the East Stand.
History
First used for football in 1880 by Newcastle Rangers, St James' has been Newcastle United's home since 1892 and has undergone numerous expansions and renovations to reach its current seating capacity of over 52,000.
The stadium is renowned for its asymmetrical design, with the towering Milburn and Leazes stands creating a distinctive landmark visible across the city.
The first game at the ground played by Newcastle East End (who soon became Newcastle United) was a 0-1 loss to Glasgow Celtic in a pre-season friendly.
The ground was briefly known as the Sports Direct Arena during Mike Ashley's tenure.
Newcastle United
Founded in 1892, Newcastle United (nicknamed 'The Magpies') won the old First Division four times with the club's most successful period being between 1904 and 1910, when they won an FA Cup and three of their four League titles. The club have won the FA Cup six times, one League Cup (in 2025) and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 versus Újpesti Dózsa of Hungary.
Newcastle were relegated to the Championship in 2009 and 2016 but returned at the first time of asking on each occasion as league winners.
The club was bought out in 2021 from Mike Ashley by a consortium of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), PCP Capital Partners, and the Reuben Brothers, making the club potentially the wealthiest in the UK.
Players
Famous former club legends include record appearances holder Jimmy Lawrence, a goalkeeper who played 507 times for the club between 1904 and 1922.
Other names fondly associated with the club include striker, local lad and record goalscorer Alan Shearer with 206 goals in 405 games ahead of Jackie Milburn (1924-1988) aka 'Wor Jackie' with 200 goals in 399 matches in his 14 years at the club. Statues of both players along with former manager Bobby Robson stand outside the ground.
Other famous homegrown strikers at Newcastle include Malcolm MacDonald, Peter Beardsley, Kevin Keegan, who also went on to manage the team and Andy Cole (the latter two moving to Liverpool and Manchester United respectively where they achieved greater recognition).
Other players remembered with affection by the Toon Army must include Bobby Moncur, Chris Waddle, Shay Given, David Ginola, Paul Gascoigne, Rob Lee, and Les Ferdinand. The Newcastle United Hall of Fame also includes Terry McDermott, Noberto Solano, Gary Speed, Pavel Srnicek, Micky Quinn, Joe Harvey, Shola Ameobi and Frank Clark.
Managers
Managerial turnovers are part of life on Tyneside and the club have had over 30 managers since they formed. Some of the most prominent include Stan Seymour in the 40s and 50s, Charlie Mitten, Joe Harvey, Gordon Lee, Arthur Cox, Jack Charlton, Osvaldo Ardiles, Kevin Keegan (in two spells), Kenny Dalglish, Ruud Gullit, Bobby Robson, Graeme Souness, Sam Allardyce, Chris Hughton, Alan Shrearer then tried and failed to keep The Magpies in the top tier, Alan Pardew, Steve McClaren, Rafael Benítez, Steve Bruce, and current coach Eddie Howe.
Stadium Tours
St James' Park Stadium Tours include the players' tunnel, the home dressing room, the Media Suite and a rooftop view. The 80-minute matchday tour takes in the highest seating point of the stadium, the corporate and directors boxes, players' entrance, the media suite, players' tunnel, the dug out and also pitch side.
Accessibility
The club offers a total of 234 spaces for wheelchairs around the stadium, including some in the section set aside for visiting supporters. Each wheelchair space includes room for a personal assistant or carer, and has easy access from ground level outside of St. James' Park, then up into the relevant stand. There are changing facilities in both the Milburn and East stands and a sensory room.
Fun Facts
The ground's name comes from a historic hospital and chapel, St. James', which stood nearby before the stadium was built. The Gallowgate End is named after the infamous city gallows that were last used in 1844. The Strawberry is a pub opposite the ground and an iconic drinking place famous for its Newcastle Brown Ale connection and matchday buzz. Celebrity fans include Ant and Dec, Sting, Cheryl and Chris Eubank. The Tyne-Wear derby is the local derby between Newcastle United and Sunderland, just 19 km apart.
Access - Getting There
The St James' Metro station is right at the stadium. Monument Station is also just a 5 minute walk and a key interchange for the green and yellow lines, connecting from the airport and coast. Newcastle Central Station is a 10-minute walk away, with frequent services on the East Coast Mainline connecting London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The X50 bus runs directly to the stadium from the Metrocentre on matchdays. Local buses stop near Haymarket and Eldon Square, both a short walk away.
Address: Strawberry Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4ST
Accessibility
St James' Park has 196 home spaces available for wheelchair users. They are located in the West Stand, East Stand, North Stand and South Stand and accessed via the accessible entrances located at 32A, 46A, 54A and 62A. There are also six wheelchair spaces provided for visiting supporters in the North Stand and accessible car parking is also available to away supporters. Hospitality spaces and the Black Cats Bar are fully accessible via lift. Ambulant seats are available throughout the St James Park and include the option of a personal assistant.
Nearby Hotels
The 4-star Leonardo Hotel Newcastle is a recommended choice with a restaurant and close to public transport.
Very close to the ground is the Sandman Signature Newcastle Hotel with good facilities. The 2-star Hotel Gotham Newcastle is also nearby.
See here for a complete listing of hotel accommodation in Newcastle.
More UK Stadiums
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