No place can compare to St James’ Park on match day for Newcastle United fans. It’s just not possible.
But, when we cannot get to The Cathedral on this Hill, we all have our favourite watering holes to watch our beloved Magpies with a cadre of like-minded fanatics.
I have been a regular with Toon Army Minnesota at the fantastic local pub Brits in Minneapolis, it’s always a good time.
Recently, I was with Josh and the lads in Denver for the Spurs win and had an awesome experience. Their home pub, Celtic on Market, is really a proper pub with Kilkenny on tap – the first I have seen it in The States.
I have been blessed to watch the Toon in Nashville, Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas (Cheryl Moon runs it and is a fantastic person and host that bleeds Black and White), Philly, Toronto, and Peter Dillons – probably the most iconic pub of the lot in New York City.
Ironically, when on Tyneside I’m usually at St James’ Park itself for the match, but when we won the League Cup, I had the privilege of joining the revelry at The Centurion (our home match cancelled that weekend) and it was a belter!
I’ve viewed away matches or Cup ties at the Newcastle Tap, The Railway hotel in Walkergate, Monkseaton at the Monkseaton Arms (where I always miss meeting our resident Ashley apologist), the Railway Hotel in Walkersgate (fantastic lads and lasses), Pow Burn in North Shields, Old George, and I am sure a few others over the years. Obviously, The Strawberry is legendary, but I have never been there during a match but, have endured the crowds there immediately after (after a win its epic…after a loss, not so much). Lastly, I’ll also mention the Cumberland Arms in Tynemouth, although I never watched a match there, because I had the best fish and chips when I visited, and it’s worth the mention for their food alone.
I’ve already stated that St James’ Park is the very best place to watch a match, and that there are some amazing pubs in the Northeast (and around the world, but I believe The Thirsty Mag, my home pub, rivals any of them.
There are only 6-10 of us for the matches but we’re all a bit fanatical. The beer is free, the commute extremely short, and I promise the fare is tastier than at most pubs – my wife being a private chef.
I am also proud of the shrine I’ve made to NUFC with memorabilia from almost 50 years of matches and Tyneside experiences (Did I mention FREE beer and NO COMMUTE?). Ok, the beer is not free, I do pay for it, but it certainly seems free when I pour a pint for me and the crew.
Photo by Toon Man via The Mag
My pub is in my walkout basement and, once down the stairs, it’s the black-and-white stripes that’ll hit you first. This isn’t just a room with a bar—it’s a full-throated love letter to Newcastle United. Every wall, shelf, and corner is saturated with the club’s history, heartbreak, and glory. Jerseys from different eras hang like battle flags: classic 1990s kits with the old Newcastle Brown Ale sponsor, the more recent black-and-white home shirts, away strips in those bold colours that somehow still look pure Magpie. Flags and scarves are hung from the walls and ceiling, each with its own memory, each with its own story. Whether at the bar, the TV room, the hallway, patio, or even the toilet, it’s a shrine to our beloved club and the legendary players.
Player photographs line the walls in tight clusters. Among them sits a prized signed photo of Peter Beardsley, that quicksilver genius whose feet seemed to dance across the pitch. Nearby, carefully preserved, is the treasured Joe Allon programme—an artefact from a different era that still carries the weight of memory (He’s been such a gentleman, character, and friend and I am blessed to know him). And then there is the Shearer signed “Granddad” shirt, a piece that turns heads every time someone notices the inscription. Alan Shearer’s presence is already strong in the room; this shirt makes it personal – he signed it at the airport. There will never be anyone like him – as strong, unbreakable, and as passionate as the northeast itself.
Photo by Toon Man via The Mag
The bar itself is the heart of the Thirsty Mag. Guinness sits on tap, the creamy head settling slowly under the soft glow of the lights, ready for the perfect pour. Beside it stretches a serious collection of Scotch whiskies—single malts and blends lined up in ranks, bottles from Speyside, Islay, Highlands and beyond – although I must confess, I personally do not drift far from my 10-Year Laphroaig, the smoky medicinal nectar of the Gods.
The gin selection is equally expansive: classic London dry, modern craft bottles with botanical twists, and a few rare finds that reward a second look. Whether you want a quiet dram after a match or a well-made G&T while the highlights reel plays, the shelves deliver. Try “Caorunn” with a slice of apple, I promise it’ll hit the spot. There are other bottles for different palates, and a fridge full of other beers and ciders to make all my fellow Magpies feel at home.
The atmosphere matches the décor. Match days turn the space into a proper living room for the Toon Army—cheers, groans, and the occasional full-throated “Howay the lads” rising with every goal or near miss on the huge telly with wraparound sound. Our favourite songs are “The Geordie Boot Boys”, Matt Ritchie’s magic Hat”, and of course, “Blaydon Races” (I turn the sound down in protest for “Hey Jude”, a song that no way connects to the northeast).
Photo by Toon Man via The Mag
Quieter evenings and the room settles into something warmer and more reflective: low light catching the glass of the framed player and Tyneside photos, the glow of the whisky, the steady black-and-white presence of the club all around. It feels lived-in and personal rather than staged, the kind of place where a stranger can walk in, clock the Shearer “Granddad” shirt or the Joe Allon programme, and immediately know they’re among friends. Supermac, KK, Milburn, Rob Lee, Gary Speed are there to greet you. So are Ritchie, Joelinton, BDB, and Trippier among the players from more recent squads. All are welcoming as they show off their prowess from behind the glass frames on the wall.
This is more than a home bar. It’s a private corner of St James’ Park transplanted in Northern Wisconsin, bringing The Toon into everyday life—jerseys on the walls, Guinness on tap, a deep whisky and gin collection waiting, and the black-and-white heart of Newcastle United beating through every detail. Pull up a stool at the Thirsty Mag. The Magpies are always welcome here. And, I promise, the beer will be free!
Have a favourite pub to view the team?
I invite you to share it with all of us!
Every place two Newcastle United fans are together whilst the team is playing has its own magic.