{"id":3885,"date":"2024-02-12T13:54:22","date_gmt":"2024-02-12T13:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/speccoll\/?p=3885"},"modified":"2024-02-12T13:54:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T13:54:24","slug":"michael-chaplin-newcastle-united","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/speccoll\/2024\/02\/12\/michael-chaplin-newcastle-united\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Chaplin \u2013 Newcastle United"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you have lived, worked, or visited the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne during match days, you may have seen the sea of fans, all wearing the iconic black and white shirts. You may have heard the roar of the fans emanating throughout the city whenever a goal is scored, or the fans disagreeing with a decision from the referee. Newcastle is a city proud of its football team. The stadium, affectionally known as the \u2018church,\u2019 is central to the culture of this part of the Northeast. As a one team city, the love and at times distain for the club runs deep through Geordie blood. For those new to Newcastle, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and become an adoring fan. Newcastle United, for those not native to the city, can give a sense of belonging. Michael Chaplin, whose archive is located in Newcastle University Special Collections and Archives, is an example of just that…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Chaplin, born in County Durham, moved to Jesmond in Newcastle as a young boy after his family moved back to the Northeast from Essex, where his father (Sid Chaplin) had been working as a writer. Although he attended schools in the area, his accent was different to those around him made, and often made it hard for him to feel like he belonged. But, whilst playing outside with a friend one day, he heard the Geordie roar from the stadium and became intrigued by what could cause such a sound that reached over a mile away. This was the beginning of his life-long love for Newcastle United and in the future would be the inspiration for some of his works in local live theatre, literature and tv dramas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fans of Newcastle United will be familiar with some of the famous chants, such as The Blaydon Races pictured below (part of the Michael Chaplin Archive and used as research material for the theatre production Beautiful Game: The Newcastle United Story<\/em>). These chants fill the stadium grounds whilst the players are on the pitch. They fill the local pubs while the matches are shown on the tv, and they fill public transport across the country and worldwide when the black and white fans are travelling to support their team. They are vital to the club, urging the team to do well, cementing the love of the team between fans, and showing their rivals that they are serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u2018The<\/a>
\u2018The Blaydon Races,\u2019 from United: The first 100 years<\/em> (Michael Chaplin archive, MC\/4\/1\/4\/2)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 1996, Chaplin’s live theatre production Beautiful Game: The Newcastle United Story<\/em>, was performed at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle. The production told the story of his much-loved club through the eyes of three generations of the Purvis family and includes the trials and triumphs the team faced in the past through to present through affection, humour, and song. The period before had been a hugely successful year at the theatre. It became Newcastle’s first arts institution to receive a substantial National Lottery Award, and after a post-match pint between Robson Green and Max Roberts about Michael\u2019s ideas for the new production, the history of the Newcastle United production was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The programme that was produced for Beautiful Game<\/em>: The Newcastle United Story<\/em> described how Michael\u2019s love of Newcastle United evolved, with key images and special event dates included (see the images below). This biographical information was later developed into a book called Newcastle United stole my heart<\/em>. It tells of the growing sense of belonging that was gained from hearing the crowds and attending matches. It tells the story of his own changing life and career. This book is currently on display within the Sid Chaplin and Michael Chaplin Archives exhibition case, near to the exhibition area on Level 2 of the Philip Robinson Library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The theatre production of Beautiful Game<\/em>: The Newcastle United Story,<\/em> was a tremendous success and enticed those that would normally be at a football match, to come to the theatre and enjoy the \u2018game\u2019 in a format different to the usual venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n