Newcastle United 13–0 Newport Countu
(Match or event name)
Event1946–47 Football League Second Division
Date5 October 1946
VenueSt James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
RefereeH. Hartley
Attendance52,137

In a Football League Second Division match on 5 October 1946 Newcastle United beat Newport County at St James' Park by 13 goals to 0. The game remains (as of 2021) a record scoreline both in number of goals and in winning margin in the top two divisions of English football, and featured either five or six goals (the exact number is disputed) for Len Shackleton and a hat-trick for Charlie Wayman. It marked a nadir for Newport, who were relegated from the division at the end of the season and who are yet to play higher than the third tier of English football as of 2021.

Background

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The match took place in the first full season of English football following the Second World War following a limited football programme in the preceding year. Even Second Division fixtures such as this, Newcastle's ninth game of the season, saw extremely large attendances; Newcastle's average home attendance figure of 56,298 this season would remain an English record until the expansion of Old Trafford in the 1990s allowed Manchester United F.C. to record an average attendance of 58,014 in the 1999-2000 Premier League.

A crowd of 52,137 attended St James' Park for a Saturday 3pm kickoff. Newcastle entered the match in relatively good form, with 12 points from their preceding 8 games. The visitors had struggled for form, with 3 points coming from a sole win against Coventry City F.C. and a draw against Birmingham City F.C.. Their defence had already shown signs of frailty, having conceded 23 goals in their six games to date, including seven against West Bromwich Albion F.C. and six against Nottingham Forest F.C..

The match was the first meeting between the two sides and as of 2021 they have only played each other once since, in a League Cup fourth round match in 2020, which Newcastle won 5-4 on penalties (having finished 1-1 at full time at Rodney Parade.

The match

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Details on how Team A qualified for the tournament/event and made their way to the match this article covers.

Details

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Newcastle United F.C.13–0Newport County F.C.
Wayman   5, 26, 30, 73'
Shackleton   7, 31, 33, 36, 53, 87'
Milburn   64, 69', Bentley   82'
St James' Park, Newcastle
Attendance: 52,137
Referee: H. Hartley (Bolton)
GK 1 Eric Garbutt
DF 2 Bobby Cowell
DF 3 Doug Graham
DF 4 Joe Harvey
DF 5 Frank Brennan
MF 6 John Wright
MF 7 Jackie Milburn
MF 8 Roy Bentley
MF 9 Charlie Wayman
FW 10 Len Shackleton
FW 11 Thomas Pearson
Manager:
Stan Seymour


GK 30 Gavin Goalkeeper
DF 2 Devin Defense (c)
DF 14 Cedric Centerback
DF 6 Bobby Bastille
DF 29 Barry Badman   87'
MF 12 Marvin Midfield   81'
MF 16 Osmosis Jones   41'
MF 17 Paul Passmaster
MF 15 Blake Ballwinner   78'
FW 32 John Spot   78'
FW 7 Golden Goalscorer   87'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Bill Backup
DF 4 Evan Excluded
FW 10 Rufus Reserve   78'
MF 18 Daniel Disregarded   81'
FW 20 Axel Alternate   78'
MF 22 Nevil Neglected
DF 23 Igor Ignored
Manager:
Mister Bossman

Man of the Match:
Freddy Footballer

Assistant referees:
Larry Linesman
Owen Official
Fourth official:
Phil Fourth

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Seven named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

Statistics

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Post-match

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Discuss the ramifications of the match's outcome including prizes, monetary rewards, trophies, qualification for other competitions, other recognition, etc.