Nowadays, virtually every single team in the country appears to have a mascot. You could call it a cynical cash grab, allowing clubs to create merchandise that younger supporters might want to buy. You might suggest that it’s all about getting young people to start following the club by whatever means possible.
In the case of Newcastle United, the club has had some variety of mascot since the 1950s, with the mascot itself developing and changing over time in order to make it more modern and fitting with a club that has itself undergone numerous changes during that period.
Why a Magpie?
The Newcastle United mascot is, in news that will surprise precisely nobody who knows anything about the club, a magpie. That is because the Geordie team is known as the Magpies. In order to understand the club’s mascot, however, you first need to understand why that is the case. The answer comes in the form of the black and white kit that the players wore on the pitch. Interestingly, though, they didn’t play in black and white when the club was first formed, thanks to the merger of Newcastle West End and Newcastle East End. Instead, they wore either red and white or red and black.
In 1894, two years after the club’s formation, a decision was taken to move away from the colour previously worn by either of the predecessor clubs. The result of this was that black and white were selected as the predominant colours, which are the same colours that you would see make up a bird known as the magpie. Common in the north-east of England, the black and white plumage of the magpie was seen as the perfect representation of the club and the people of the city, leading to them becoming known as ‘the Magpies’, which stuck as a nickname and obviously lent itself to the mascot.
The Early Newcastle Mascots
In the more formative years of Newcastle United, the Magpie in its current form wasn’t the mascot that was trotted out for home games. In fact, the 1950s was the first time that a mascot of any sort was introduced to supporters. Just as Everton had the Toffee Lady walking around the ground before kick-off, so too did Newcastle put forward a man dressed in a satin magpie suit who would walk around the pitch, twirling his rattle and a black and white scarf in order to whip up the crowd before the game got underway. Even that, though, wasn’t the first event of note at St. James’ Park.
In the wake of the end of the Second World War, a man named Peter Anderson would walk around the cinder track that bordered the football ground that Newcastle called home. He was a beloved figured in the area, dressed in a black and white striped suit, adding a top hat and a cane to complete the image. His traversing of the track that ran around the perimeter of St. James’ Park was a pre-match and a post-match ritual, waving to fans as he went in an attempt to boost morale. Whether it worked or not is a matter of some debate, but he set the groundwork for what was to follow.
Monty the Magpie
📽️ Monty Magpie’s Super Move has arrived! 🕺 💃
Check out the @NUFC mascot tackling times tables with Monty’s Brain Booster film right here 👉 https://t.co/y6krscat5r @PLCommunities @BBC_Teach #SuperMovers pic.twitter.com/rKW4Gk9yik
— Newcastle United Foundation (@NU_Foundation) September 6, 2018
The exact moment that Monty the Magpie was introduced to Newcastle United supporters has been lost to the annals of time, but we do know that he is the modern representative of the football club. The larger-than-life character is, you won’t be shocked to learn, represented by a human dressed up in a magpie costume. The energy and excitement brought forth by, presumably, the out-of-work actor in the suit is designed to bring St. James’ Park to life before the club plays its games. It isn’t exactly a shock that he is a big hit with younger fans, which is what he’s aimed at.
Those heading to the football ground with their families to watch the Newcastle United side playing in a match can often be seen taking photos of and with Monty, who will happily pose for photos and get up to other silly shenanigans prior to a ball being kicked. If the home side scores a goal, you can bet that Monty will be celebrating with just as much vigour as the rest of the United faithful, jumping up and down and running along the side of the pitch in a manner that might make you think that he’s trying to take off, were that not a physical impossibility for him to do.
Not Just a Mascot
Monty the Magpie has joined the players in Midland Park, @Wellington_NZ #FootballUnited14 #NUFC pic.twitter.com/2U7mbszbVz
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) July 25, 2014
In this day and age, there is an extent to which the mascots used by clubs are supposed to do so much more than just represent the side that they are a totem for. In the case of Monty the Magpie, he is a symbol of the rich history of Newcastle United’s identity, as well as pointing towards the club’s future. That is something that many fear may be lost since the club was taken over by the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, thanks to the fact that money is being spent in order to allow a murderous regime to attempt to sports wash its reputation on the global stage.
Football is a sport in which tradition is one of the key facets of its reputation, so being able to use Monty in order to point to Newcastle United’s long and illustrious history is crucial during a time of such change. The role is predominantly to entertain, of course, which is why Monty the Magpie will often be seen high-fiving young supporters and dancing on the sideline. Even so, this member of the Newcastle family is also there to ensure that the club’s past is never forgotten about. That being said, it is worth noting that Newcastle United aren’t the only team known as the Magpies, with Notts County also claiming the nickname.