Capped at four different levels for England, including as a full international, Andrew Alexander Cole never quite fulfilled his potential on the big stage, however, as a club player, primarily at Newcastle and Manchester United, he was ‘Goal King Cole.’

Now, in association with Relentless Promotions, Newcastle Legends are honoured to bring you an evening with the goal scoring legend, and what better place to hold it than at the ground he made a name for himself - St James Park, on the night of September 16.

Having began at Arsenal, then banging in goals at Bristol City, Cole was soon on the radar of then Magpies boss, Kevin Keegan. February 1993 would see Keegan shell out a then club record £1.75 million for the striker, who, alongside David Kelly, ripped defences apart and claimed the Division One title in style, with it promotion to the Premier League.

Cole would net twelve in twelve in finishing that championship winning season including hat-tricks against Barnsley, and in the season finale romp against Leicester City; Cole would also score the opening goal against Grimsby as Newcastle clinched the title on a rain-drenched night on the coast.

That first season in the Premier League, records fell as Cole continued his riotous form against some of the country’s best defences - Liverpool and Manchester United included. In fact his, and Newcastle’s first goal back in the top flight came in the 1-1 draw, at Old Trafford, against Manchester United, in August 1993.

(Above - Andy Cole & Peter Beardsley formed a formidable partnership in the Premier League; Below - Andy Cole formed an amazing friendship with Geordie Lee Clark)

From then on it was all systems go the number nine and his new strike partner-in-crime, the mercurial Peter Beardsley. Including all three goals in the demolition of Liverpool, Cole would bag a record breaking 41 in all competitions (34 in the league) to eclipse Hughie Gallacher’s scoring record.

That first season in the Premier League would se the club finish third and qualify for the UEFA Cup, for the first time since the seventies. On the club’s return to Europe Cole would net a hat-trick in the second leg when opposing Belgian side, Royal Antwerp, it was a royal return to Europe for the Magpies, that’s for sure.

Then, just like that, he was gone.

Cole’s last goal in a Black & Whit shirt came against Ipswich Town in a 1-1 draw in November 1994, a few months later, in January 1995, Sir Alex Ferguson had snapped up the striker for a then British transfer record of £7 million (£6 million plus Keith Gillespie).

He continued in the same vein for the Red Devils as he had the Magpies and went on to become the first player to net five times in a Premier League game, in the 9-0 rout of Ipswich.

Whilst at Old Trafford he claimed numerous honours including five Premier League titles and the 1999 Champions League (vs. Bayern Munich); Cole would also win the League Cup in 2002 whilst with Blackburn Rovers.

Cole’s only goal for England arrived in a World Cup Qualifying fixture against Albania in March 2001.

In 1994, whilst with Newcastle, he won the Golden Boot and the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

You can purchase tickets for ‘An Evening with Andy Cole’ HERE