Four Players You May Have Forgotten Played for Newcastle United and Manchester City

As Newcastle United prepare to face Manchester City in the Premier League, we’re taking a look at four players who represented both clubs.

By Liam Rafferty

There’s a twist, though - these aren’t the obvious names.

So you won’t find Shay Given, Joey Barton, James Milner or Craig Bellamy on this list, as their spells at both clubs are well remembered.

Instead, here are four players you might have forgotten wore both black and white and sky blue.

Peter Beardsley

Peter Beardsley’s time on Tyneside is well documented, but his brief spell at Manchester City often flies under the radar.

Beardsley enjoyed two memorable stints with Newcastle. Between 1983 and 1987, he scored 61 goals in 147 appearances.

He returned in 1993 and netted a further 47 goals before departing in 1997.

'Cross the divide'

Across a varied career that also included spells with Vancouver Whitecaps, Hartlepool United and Melbourne Knights, Beardsley represented both Liverpool and Everton - one of the few players to cross the Merseyside divide.

He won two league titles and an FA Cup during his time at Liverpool, and even had a short spell at Manchester United in 1982/83, though he never made a first-team appearance.

In 1998, Beardsley made six appearances for Manchester City while on loan from Bolton Wanderers - a stint that is often overlooked.

Andy Cole

Andy Cole’s Newcastle career is fondly remembered.

Signed from Bristol City while the club were in Division One, his goals helped fire the Magpies to promotion to the Premier League.

In just two seasons at St James’ Park, Cole scored 55 goals in 70 league games, establishing himself as one of the country’s most lethal strikers before his high-profile move to Manchester United.

Shattered the hearts of the Geordie faithful

At Old Trafford, Cole enjoyed the most successful period of his career, scoring 93 goals in 195 league appearances across six seasons.

He won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the UEFA Champions League with the Red Devils.

Later in his career, Cole joined Manchester City in 2005.

He spent one season at what was then the City of Manchester Stadium (now the Etihad), making 22 appearances and scoring nine goals.

He later went on to join Newcastle United’s fierce rivals Sunderland, reuniting with his former teammate Roy Keane, who brought him to the Stadium of Light to bolster the Black Cats’ squad.

Dietmar Hamann

Dietmar “Didi” Hamann is another name sometimes forgotten when discussing players who featured for both sides.

The German midfielder joined Newcastle United from Bayern Munich in 1998 for £5.5 million under then manager Sir Kenny Dalglish.

He spent one season on Tyneside and featured in the 1999 FA Cup final.

Short stint

Hamann later moved to Liverpool for £8 million, where he enjoyed the most successful spell of his career. During seven years on Merseyside, he won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, two FA Cups and two League Cups - adding to the Bundesliga titles and DFB-Pokal he had already secured in Germany.

In 2006, after initially agreeing a move to Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City hijacked the deal by paying compensation.

Hamann spent three seasons at City, making 54 appearances and scoring once.

Stuart Pearce

Best known for his iconic spell at Nottingham Forest, Stuart Pearce also represented both Newcastle and Manchester City during the latter stages of his playing career.

Dad's Army

Pearce joined Newcastle United in 1997 under Kenny Dalglish, arriving alongside experienced names such as Ian Rush and John Barnes.

He spent two seasons at St James’ Park, making 37 appearances and scoring once.

After a spell at West Ham United, Pearce joined Manchester City for the 2001/02 season. He made 38 appearances during his single campaign at Maine Road.

He would later return to the club as manager, taking charge of Manchester City between 2005 and 2007.

In a bizarre tactical move, he once pushed former goalkeeper David James up front in search of a late goal.

While not as instantly recognisable as some other dual-club players, these four all had spells in both black and white and sky blue - even if those moments are sometimes forgotten.