Photographs Of Newcastle: Jackie Milburn Statue

He Was Christened John Edward Thompson - JET - and surely no other footballer had such an appropriate set of initials to embark on a career in the game. When Jackie Milburn walked into St James Park, boots in a brown paper parcel in August 1943 there started a special association not only between player and club, but also between player and the whole of the north east region. One that remains strong as ever, several years after his death in 1988.

The 1991 bronze statue was Sculpted by Susanna Robinson, and funded by the readers of the Evening Chronicle newspaper. It depicts Milburn in full stride; with his left foot planted he is about to strike the ball with his right foot.

The first location of the 1991 bronze was Northumberland Street, one of the major shopping thoroughfares of Newcastle city centre. Mounted on a slate plinth which also features an inscription, it was unveiled on 15 November 1991 by Milburn's widow Laura. It was positioned on the east side of the street facing south, at a point south of the entrance to the Eldon Square shopping centre (on the east side).

The statue was removed from Northumberland Street due to resurfacing works. It was relocated together with the slate plinth to a position on St James' Boulevard (formerly Blenheim Street). This is a major north-south running dual carriageway on the western edge of the city centre; forming part of the A189 road it carries traffic to/from Redheugh Bridge to the south west to/from Barrack Road to the north east (passing the stadium). It was located at a sprawling junction where the Boulevard crosses the NW-SE running Bath Lane, with Corporation Street also arriving at the junction from the SW. It was positioned on the west side of the Boulevard where it meets Corporation Street/Bath Lane, facing east.

Following talks between Newcastle City Council, the Milburn family and Newcastle United, the 1991 bronze was moved for a third time, to the football club's stadium, St James' Park. On 23 April 2012 both the statue and slate plinth were installed beside the stadium in Strawberry Place, outside the south east corner. It is sited at the bottom of the steps that lead up to the Gallowgate End/East Stand turnstiles, facing south (Strawberry Place being the road that runs along the outside of the Gallowgate End).

This made it the second Milburn statue to be installed outside the stadium, after the 1996 fibreglass one was installed at the south west corner, being removed in 1999. Its installation was followed shortly after by the unveiling on 6 May 2012 of the Bobby Robson statue in the south west corner position where the fibreglass Milburn statue once stood.

Text courtesy of Wikimedia.

19th June 2022

9th June 2019

23rd April 2012

The south east corner of St James Park. A much better location for statue.

15th June 2006

10th February 2006

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See my other photos around St James' Park:

4 comments:

Redkit said...: Where has Jackie's statue been moved to. He used to be on Northumberland street didn't he?; 17 May 2006 at 16:06
Newcastle Photos said...: Aye that was some time ago. He's been living on St. James Boulevard next to the junction with Corporation street. He is on the move again shortly to just outside the Gallowgate end with the forthcoming statue of Shearer.; 17 May 2006 at 16:55
Paul said...: Now that the Bobby Robson garden is taking shape I would like to see the Jackie Milburn statue moved there.
Wor Jackie is a bit isolated where he is at the moment.
I can't see a Shearer statue being made anytime soon with the FCB in charge.; 18 January 2011 at 08:47
Newcastle Photos said...: That sounds like a great idea but I guess the plans have already been laid out for the garden.

Hell will freeze over before the FCB sanctions a Shearer statue. :); 18 January 2011 at 09:44