Newcastle United Football Club were founded in 1892 after a merger of two local rivals, Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End. The latter were close to having to fold due to financial difficulties, and a merger was decided to be the best course of action. Newcastle United was thus chosen as the name. As part of the deal, the newly formed club moved into West End's ground, St. James Park, where they have remained ever since.

Newcastle have won the football league four times in their history, but the last time was in 1927- previously, they had won 3 titles in 5 years in the early 1900s. Newcastle have a much more impressive cup pedigree, having won the FA Cup 6 times and being runners up 7 times, most recently in 1999. They won the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, later to become the Cup Winners Cup, UEFA Cup and today the Europa League, beating Hungary's Ujpest over two legs in the final.