One sure way to get instant footballing immortality is to score the winner in a derby match.
This is especially so in the Tyne and Wear derby.
It was 24 February 2002. Sunderland v Newcastle United.
Just the 24 years ago now but fresh in the memory.
The match winning goalscorer never forgetting that moment.
From our upcoming exclusive interview with Nikos Dabizas…
“I would go straight to the Stadium of Light when I scored the winning goal at Sunderland. Earlier in the match, I’d hit the bar and the goalkeeper had made a fantastic save so I’d had two chances to score before the winning goal. In that game we’d kept a clean sheet, I’d scored the winning goal and had two more great chances, so that was probably the best game I had in a Newcastle United jersey in combination with the importance of the match as well. I get asked about that goal every single time I visit Newcastle. I’m always going back to Newcastle and it’s the very first thing that people talk about and ask me about. It is still a very special day for me even though it is now nearly a quarter of a century ago.”
A cracking interview with Nikos Dabizas coming up very soon on The Mag.
This mackem slayer having plenty of great memories to recount.
Nikos Dabizas also giving his views on the present day Newcastle United.
The former United defender also recalling that moment inside Wembley, when he was there in person to see Newcastle pick up a trophy on 16 March 2025.