The Magpies recently reached the last 16 of the prestigious competition after wins against Sunderland and Fulham, seeing Eddie Howe’s side rewarded with a favourable draw against Blackburn Rovers at the end of next month.
Losses to the likes of Oxford, Stevenage and then Championship side, Brighton, Newcastle’s recent history in the FA Cup has been nothing short of underwhelming.
Despite them winning the competition six times, with the last coming in 1955 - The Toon Army have only reached the Round of 16 twice since 2006 – seeing the Geordie faithful desperate for a domestic trophy for the first time in 69 years.
With Rovers manager, Jon Dahl Tomasson participating in Newcastle’s FA Cup run in 1998 - a look back in time is prompted.
Here, we look at the recent past where Newcastle United have enjoyed a run in the FA Cup.
2019/20 - Quarter-Finals
Steve Bruce took his team to the quarter-finals after an infamous route to hosting Pep Guardiola’s side to a Covid-stricken empty St James’ Park.
Firstly, his side travelled to Rochdale for an underwhelming 1-1 draw, after 40-year-old Aaron Wilbraham cancelled out Miguel Almiron’s early opener. The Dales then travelled to St James’ Park, in which they lost 4-1 – courtesy of goals from Matty Longstaff, Almiron, Joelinton and an Eoghan O’Connell own goal.
The Magpies then hosted Oxford in Round Four, in which Bruce’s team were held to a goalless draw and forced to travel to the Kassam Stadium for what turned out to be an exhilarating 3-2 win, courtesy of a 116th-minute winner from talisman, Allan Saint-Maximin.
Sean Longstaff and Joelinton netted in the first half before Oxford pegged the visitors back late in the game. Liam Kelly netted from a pin-point free-kick six minutes from time before Nathan Holland latched on to volley it home deep into stoppage time.
Saint-Maximin then netted a solo goal to end the possibility of a cup shock.
Almiron carried on his fine form in the FA Cup, as The Magpies then travelled to the Hawthorns, to face Championship leaders, West Brom.
A first-half brace from the Paraguayan, before Saint-Maximin threatened from distance – Bruce’s side went in at the break in comfortable fashion. Inter Milan loanee, Valentino Lazaro netted soon after half-time extending the visitor's lead.
Complacency soon settled in, with Bruce accusing his side of “switching off” as Matt Phillips and Kenneth Zahore pulled it back to 3-2, but they proved nothing more than consolations.
Bruce’s squad then drew out Man City, which proved a slightly favourable home draw before a global pandemic hit. Eventually, the seven-time Premier League winners walked away 2-0 victors, courtesy of goals from De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.
2005/06 - Quarter-Finals
John Terry ended Glenn Roader’s run in the FA Cup with an early goal seeing Newcastle dumped out at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle faced Mansfield Town in Round Three, and in what turned out to be his last season at the club - Alan Shearer equalled then club-record goalscorer, Jackie Milburn’s, tally of 200 goals in black and white. The 35-year-old's goal, 10 minutes from time, proved enough to knock out the League Two side.
The Magpies then travelled to Whaddon Road to face Cheltenham – and with first-half goals from Michael Chopra and Scott Parker, the second half proved a quiet one with Roeder’s team comfortably seeing out the game.
Southampton were the next side to travel to the North-East and with the Toon Army without Shearer, the Geordies had to turn to yet another goal scorer to provide the goods.
With his first start since August, Kieron Dyer stepped up, proving to be the bright spark for the hosts. Charles N’Zogbia threaded through the midfielder just after the hour mark and Dyer made no mistake, guiding Newcastle to a somewhat unconvincing win to reach the quarter-finals.
The Geordies then travelled to Chelsea in the quarter-finals to face the same opponents from their previous FA Cup campaign where Patrick Kluivert ended their early dreams of a quadruple.
This time, however, didn’t prove to be as memorable.
Eventual Magpie, Damien Duff, after four minutes delivered right onto the boot of John Terry before the skipper netted past Shay Given in what proved the only goal of the game.
2004/05 - Semi-Finals
Five years on since their last FA Cup semi-final, Newcastle returned once more, however were denied by a dominant Alex Ferguson team.
Yeading were the first side to welcome Newcastle in the campaign, with the Isthmian League side having overcome six opponents just to reach Round Three.
The hosts proved to make it uncomfortable, holding out for 50 minutes before Lee Bowyer found the opener after the backline were carved out by Craig Bellamy.
Shola Ameobi doubled his side’s lead with a cushioned header just after the hour mark.
Graeme Souness’ team then enjoyed hosting three successive games at St James’ Park with Coventry being the first opponents.
With goals from Shearer, Ameobi and an unusual goalscorer in Celestine Babayaro, with what turned out to be his only one for Newcastle United, saw the side ease past the visitors.
The previously mentioned face-up against Chelsea was next for United, as the Blues arrived to a snowy Tyneside.
Kluivert scored after just four minutes, peeling away from William Gallas and connecting with Laurent Robert’s cross, for only the second goal conceded for Chelsea in 12 games.
Despite Jose Mourinho’s best efforts to change the game, his early substitutes proved detrimental as the visitors were soon forced to 10 men following Duff’s knock, before Carlo Cudicini added to their woes, seeing red after fouling Ameobi.
A forgettable night for the Special One.
Kluivert proved the only difference again when Tottenham were the next to travel to the North-East. An early goal from the Dutchman was the case again when Shearer picked out his fellow partner after five minutes on the clock, which turned out to be the Geordies’ only shot on target in the contest.
Apart from a wrongly disallowed goal to deny Kluivert his second, Newcastle offered very little.
Shay Given provided the heroics denying efforts from the likes of Jermaine Defoe and Reto Ziegler – he was very much the one to thank for booking Souness’ side a place in the semi-finals.
The Toon Army then travelled to the Millennium Stadium to face a ruthless Manchester United outfit.
Ruud van Nistelrooy opened the scoring before Paul Scholes joined in on the action just before half-time. The Dutchman netted his second on 58 minutes before Shola Ameobi steered home a consolation.
Cristiano Ronaldo added to their demise with a close-range effort at the end, where they went on to lose to Arsenal in the final.
1999/00 - Semi-Finals
Eventual Sunderland manager, Gustavo Poyet, first haunted The Magpies in 2000, with a clinical brace.
Looking to reach their third final in just as many years, Newcastle travelled to White Hart Lane in the third round.
Steffen Iversen opened the scoring soon into the second half before a late equaliser from Gary Speed cancelled out Tottenham’s chances of progressing into the next round.
Speed netted again five minutes into the replay before Nico Dabizas added the second shortly after. A familiar face to St James’ Park, David Ginola pulled one back for the visitors in impressive fashion.
Duncan Ferguson extended the hosts’ lead just before half-time, hammering home in front of the Leazes end.
Kieron Dyer added the fourth before a brace in quick succession from Alan Shearer to secure a 6-1 win.
In Bobby Robson’s first season, the Magpies were determined for silverware.
Next came Sheffield United. With Shearer quickly opening the scoring, the Blades soon equalised through Martin Smith, before Dabizas and Ferguson, who both scored in the previous round, netted soon after the break.
Kevin Gallacher rounded up the victory, ensuring a comfortable route into the fifth round.
Newcastle’s number nine continued his fine form in the cup, netting twice against his former side, Blackburn Rovers, despite the hosts being on level terms for the majority of the game, courtesy of Matt Jensen.
United then travelled to the north-west for a favourable draw to face Tranmere in the quarter-finals.
Goals from Speed, Didier Domi and Duncan Ferguson, and despite Wayne Allison and Gary Jones scoring for the Rovers, the Toon Army travelled to Wembley to face Gianluca Vialli’s Chelsea.
Poyet ended the Geordies' dreams of another final with goals either side of half-time, despite Rob Lee’s equaliser in the 66th minute.
Chelsea went on to overcome Aston Villa, 1-0, in the final – which turned out to be the last to be played at the Old Wembley.
1998/99 - Finalists
The eventual treble-winning side of Manchester United proved to be the ones in between the Magpies and silverware success.
First division Crystal Palace were the first to travel to St James’ Park with the visitors opening the scoring. Ex-Man City striker, Lee Bradbury’s, effort proved to be the difference at the break.
Speed equalised soon after, with Alan Shearer putting Ruud Gullit ahead and through to their next opponents.
Newcastle then cruised past Bradford City with Didi Hamann, Shearer and Temuri Ketsbaia all contributing to goals.
For a third consecutive game, Newcastle hosted – this time for Blackburn Rovers who held Gullit’s side to a 0-0 draw.
The Magpies travelled to Ewood Park without their famous number nine – with January signing Louis Saha’s goal being the difference. The loanee netted his one of two goals in black and white just before the break.
Everton were the next to travel to the north-east for a place in the semi-finals. Ketsbaia soon proved to the Evertonians that this was to be a long afternoon for the visitors. The Georgian netted a brace with the forgotten Georgios Georgiadis scoring his only goal for Newcastle before Shearer wrapped up a place in the final four.
Blues legend, David Unsworth, netted their only goal for Walter Smith’s side in a 4-1 defeat.
Newcastle and Tottenham then battled in the semi-finals, with the two sides needing extra time to settle it, albeit Newcastle’s Dabizas luckily got away with a clear handball in his own penalty box.
Instead, it was Sol Campbell who was penalised early in the second half of extra time, handling the ball himself.
Alan Shearer tucked away the resulting penalty with confidence before he made sure of a second consecutive cup final appearance for The Magpies, letting rip with an effort two minutes home being hammered home.
After surpassing Arsenal, Manchester United overcame Newcastle with goals from Paul Scholes and Teddy Sheringham in either half, as Ferguson’s side ran out 2-0 winners.
1997/98 - Finalists
Newcastle United appeared in their first FA Cup Final for over 20 years, however, Arsene Wenger’s side proved just too much for Kenny Dalglish.
Ian Rush got the ball rolling for the Geordies with a second-half goal from the Welshman proving to be the difference.
Newcastle then travelled to Stevenage where they were frustratingly held to a 1-1 draw after Shearer’s early opener was cancelled out by Guiliano Grazioli.
In the subsequent replay, Shearer proved to be the difference once more, scoring either side of the half before Gary Crawshaw scored what could only be a consolation for the visitors.
The number nine made it four in three games in the FA Cup with his first-half winner as Dalglish’s side hosted Tranmere.
Barnsley were next to travel to the North-East with the fellow Premier League side showing a gulf in quality as the hosts steamrolled past The Tykes, 4-1.
Goals from Temur Ketsbaia, Speed and David Batty overcame the Yorkshire side, with Andy Lindell scoring for the visitors.
Newcastle faced Sheffield United in the semi-finals at Old Trafford, and with Newcastle having won the last four FA Cup semi-finals they had participated in, Newcastle’s own Alan Shearer just had to be the one to seal it with the only goal of the game.
Andreas Anderson saw his early effort cleared off the line before Gary Speed was denied by the post.
Newcastle’s talisman eventually tumbled home his effort after his initial headed effort was palmed by goalkeeper Alan Kelly after an hour on the clock.
The final saw the meeting of Arsenal and Newcastle, where Wenger’s side soon went in front by a well-taken Marc Overmars finish.
Nico Dabizas rattled the bar for Dalglish’s side shortly after half-time before Frenchman Nicolas Anelka was found through a lofted ball over the top, with the striker finishing with ease wrapping up their seventh FA cup win – seeing the Gunners now on a competition record 14.