Newcastle United beat Bolton Wanderers 3-1 on the opening day of the 2007/08 Premier League season.
With the new Premier League season just around the corner, HITC Sport is taking a look back at some of the lineups sides put out on the opening day of the season one decade ago.
This time, we look at what happened to the Sam Allardyce-led Newcastle side that beat Bolton 3-1 in 2007’s curtain-raiser…
Steve Harper
Steve Harper was coming towards the end of his spell as Shay Given’s understudy when the 2007/08 season began. He joined Hull City in 2013 after two decades of loyal service to the Magpies. After a brief stint with Sunderland, he retired in 2016 and is now back at St James’ Park working with the academy goalkeepers.
Stephen Carr
Stephen Carr would initially retire from playing in 2008 after failing to find another club after leaving Newcastle earlier that year. He would reverse that decision the following year and spend four years with Birmingham before retiring again in 2013.
Steven Taylor
After leaving Newcastle in 2016 after more than two decades at the club, Steven Taylor would enjoy brief spells with Portland Timbers and Ipswich Town. He joined Peterborough United this summer.
Steven Tyalor
David Rozehnal
After joining the Magpies in 2007, David Rozehnal spent one year with the club before joining Lazio on loan and subsequently making that deal permanent. He has since played for Hamburg and Lille, and now the 37-year-old plays for Oostende.
Geremi
The two-time Champions League winner stayed with Newcastle for two years before leaving in 2009. He finished his career with brief stints with Ankaragucu and AEL.
James Milner
James Milner would leave Newcastle for Aston Villa in 2008. He then spent five years with Manchester City before joining Liverpool in 2015 – for whom he has frequently played at full-back.
Nicky Butt
Nicky Butt would stay with Newcastle until 2010 having made well over 100 top flight appearances for the Magpies. He would finish his career with South China before moving into coaching.
Alan Smith
Alan Smith would remain on the Magpies’ books until 2012 before dropping into the lower leagues with MK Dons and Notts County. Still a player at Meadow Lane, he also served as their caretaker boss at one stage.
Charles N’Zogbia
Charles N’Zogbia
After a fairly public falling out with Joe Kinnear, Charles N’Zogbia departed for Wigan in 2009. After a very good spell with the Latics, he joined Aston Villa but failed to recapture that form during his five years with the club. He is still without a club having been released in 2015.
Obafemi Martins
Obafemi Martins eerily left Newcastle in 2009 with exactly the same league record as he had got at Inter Milan, with 28 goals coming in 88 top flight games for both. He has since played for Wolfsburg, Rubin Kazan, Birmingham – for whom he scored a League Cup final winner against Arsenal – Levante and Seattle Sounders. He now plays for Shanghai Shenhua.
Mark Viduka
Newcastle would prove to be Mark Viduka’s last club as he retired after leaving the Magpies in 2009.
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