Top 10 one goal wonders for Newcastle United

With Cheick Tiote set to leave St. James’ Park, we look at the top 10 Newcastle players whose main impact can be traced back to a single goal.

Cheick Tiote celebrates after scoring Newcastle’s fourth goal

Newcastle United have had many great goalscorers over the years, from Alan Shearer to new recruit Dwight Gayle – the Geordie nation loves a player who knows where the net is.

But there are some players who still hold a special place in Newcastle fans’ hearts for quite the opposite reason.

They are a rare breed of individual whose goalscoring exploits were purely exclusive in their nature – they score a goal for the club and then for whatever reason, they never do it again.

So this is a list of Newcastle United’s top 10 players who have scored just one competitive goal in black and white during the Premier League era.

Unfortunately that means the likes of Emmanuel Riviere and Albert Luque don’t qualify as although they scored just once in the league, they did manage a couple more in the cup competitions.

Newcastle United's Emmanuel Riviere Newcastle United’s Emmanuel Riviere

Also someone like Jonjo Shelvey or Matt Ritchie, who have only scored one United goal to date, will not be included given the fact they are current first team regulars.

This list will take into account not only the quality of the goal being scored but its importance and the overall influence it had on the individual’s career as a Newcastle player.

10. Paul Huntington (v Spurs 06/07)

What ever happened to Paul Huntington? Currently plying his trade at Preston North End, the defender made a small but significant impact for the Magpies during the winter of the 06/07 season.

Aged just 19 at the time, Huntington put in several impressive performances and was awarded Man of the Match for a strong display against Chelsea in what was his first start for the club.

And a month later he opened his goalscoring account against Tottenham Hotspur with a tight angled finish in a match which the Magpies came from behind to win 3-2 at White Hart Lane.

Despite this impact, Huntington failed to cement a starting place and was quickly offloaded to Leeds United the following summer.

Now he faces the possibility of lining-up against his former club in the Championship this season.

9. Helder (v Sunderland 99/00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ds_3axbR4A

Portuguese defender Helder made just eight league appearances during a loan spell at United in the 99/00 season but he still managed to get his name on the scoresheet, and in the Tyne-Wear derby no less.

His header put Newcastle 2-0 up against fierce rivals Sunderland at the Stadium of Light and although the Black Cats clawed their way back into the match to earn a 2-2 draw, Helder’s derby goal has given him an almost cult status on Tyneside.

Given the fact that goals against Sunderland seem to be few and far between for Newcastle these days, Helder’s header holds more weight now than it probably ever has.

8. Haris Vuckic (v Atromitos 12/13)

Haris Vuckic may technically still be a Newcastle United player but having made just seven league appearances during his eight years at the club, it is likely that we’ve seen the Slovenian’s first and last goal in a United shirt.

But what an important goal it proved to be as Vuckic came off the bench to seal Newcastle’s place in the Europa League group stage with a deflected strike against Greek side Atromitos.

A very good strike in spite of the deflection, Vuckic’s winner helped the Magpies go on to reach the quarter-finals of the competition where they were ultimately beaten by Benfica.

Now Vuckic finds himself being regularly loaned out or playing for United’s reserve side so it appears that his days at the club are numbered, though he’ll always have his goal.

7. Stuart Pearce (v Dynamo Kiev 97/98)

Another European gem this time from veteran defender Stuart Pearce as he netted a stunning 25-yard strike against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League group stage.

Though the Magpies had already been knocked out of the competition, they went out with a bang as Pearce’s fierce left-footed strike flew into the top left corner of the goal in a 2-0 win over the Ukrainian side.

It was a goal that may not have had much impact in the grand scheme of things but it was still a strike of real quality that ended United’s maiden Champions League campaign on a high.

6. Gael Bigirimana (v Wigan Athletic 12/13)

The future looked bright for Gael Bigirimana when he first arrived on Tyneside from Coventry City in the summer of 2012.

And by winter the fresh faced midfielder had already earned himself several first-team appearances as he looked to lock down a regular starting position following a string of impressive performances.

And his best moment came against Wigan Athletic as the young Burundian scored one of Newcastle’s goals of the season in a 3-0 win at St. James’ Park.

Bigirimana went on to make 24 first team appearances during his debut season but featured just once for the Magpies since and has recently been sold back to Coventry City where he hopes to reignite his career that once looked so promising.

His goal remains his first and only in professional football.

5. Stephen Carr (v Southampton 04/05)

Full-back Stephen Carr made over 100 appearances during his four years at Newcastle and his single goal proved to be quite the memorable one against Southampton.

The Irishman unleashed a ferocious 30-yard strike past Saints keeper Antti Niemi to seal a historic victory for the Magpies.

It is United’s first and only league win at St. Mary’s to date and Carr’s goal proved to be his last despite going on to play seven more seasons at the top level.

4. Jose Enrique (v Nottingham Forest 09/10)

Jose Enrique was a popular figure on Tyneside around the turn of the decade before his move to Liverpool in 2011.

The Spanish left-back consistently impressed with his industrious defensive displays and driving forward runs that earned him a place in the Championship team of the Season as Newcastle were promoted to the Premier League.

And United’s promotion that was no small part down to Enrique’s one and only goal for the club as it secured a 2-0 win over promotion rivals Nottingham Forest at St. James’ Park.

The clever exchange and weak-footed finish all but secured the Magpies’ immediate return to the top flight, putting them 13 points clear of third placed Forest with a game in hand.

It was a great moment that prompted one of the best stadium atmospheres you are likely to see in the Championship as St. James’ Park erupted following Enrique’s late strike.

3. Barry Venison (v Aston Villa 94/95)

Now we go way back to Newcastle’s second season in the Premier League and defender Barry Venison’s superb strike in the 3-1 win over Aston Villa at St. James’ Park.

Venison believes the “20-yard screamer” is the best goal he’s ever scored as it gave the Magpies the lead at St. James’ Park before Andy Townsend equalised and a brace from Peter Beardsley wrapped the points up for the home side.

Venison was also a ‘one goal wonder’ at his former club Liverpool although some Reds’ fans will argue his Centenary Trophy goal against Nottingham Forest also counts – but does it really?

Overall though, Venison was a good servant to the Magpies and will forever be remembered for his emphatic strike 21-years-ago.

2. Fabrice Pancrate (v Watford 09/10)

If there is one name that will make any Newcastle fan smirk it’s Fabrice Pancrate – the epitome of the one goal wonder.

A man who played just under 20 games for the Magpies though fans will be hard tested to remember anything he did on the pitch bar his sumptuous strike in the 2-0 victory over Watford in 2009.

A stunned St. James’ Park couldn’t really believe what they’d just seen after Pancrate turned the Hornets’ defence inside out before cannoning the ball into the back of the net off the underside of the bar.

It was virtually the Frenchman’s only meaningful contribution in black and white and it’s one that has earned him a cult status in the North East.

He was released the following summer and retired in 2014 aged 34.

1. Cheick Tiote (v Arsenal 10/11)

There could only ever be one winner and it is of course Cheick Tiote’s iconic late equaliser in the 4-4 draw with Arsenal at St. James’ Park.

Newcastle looked down and out at half-time, trailing the Gunners 4-0 but a spirited second half comeback and a mixture of good fortune saw the Magpies reduce the deficit to a single goal with just minutes remaining.

And then up stepped Tiote to volley home the goal that completed the biggest comeback in Premier League history and what a goal it was.

It was a strike that has cemented the Ivorian in Newcastle United history forever and in spite of his declining form in recent seasons, Geordie fans will always look back at this goal with extreme fondness.

Though still, there are some, including Tiote himself, that will insist he isn’t a one goal wonder due to the time he found the back of the net in equally stunning fashion against Manchester City.

Unfortunately, the goal was controversially disallowed for offside, much to the disdain of Magpies fans and Tiote himself.

What do you think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3y3VRZdw8w

The 30-year-old also suffered a similar ordeal last season against West Bromwich Albion as he found the back of the net for a third time in black and white only to see it chalked off once again.

Clearly Tiote was only ever meant to score a single goal for the club as he rightly claims his title as Newcastle United’s ultimate one goal wonder.

Wherever he ends up, Newcastle fans will always remember ‘that’ goal when they think of Cheick Tiote.

Newcastle United's Cheick Tiote celebrates scoring a goal which is later disallowed Newcastle United’s Cheick Tiote celebrates scoring a goal which is later disallowed

Who are the best ‘one goal wonders’ you remember?

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