On 22 September 1992, Rob Lee became a Newcastle United player, signing under legendary manager Kevin Keegan.
The Magpies have had their fair share of players come and go over the last few decades, with some failing to make an impact on Tyneside while others have gone on to become legends.
There is no doubt that Rob Lee falls into the latter. The midfielder joined Newcastle United in 1992 for a fee of £700,000 (£1.85m in 2025) after talking with club legend and manager at the time, Kevin Keegan.
Word is that Keegan told Lee he would play for England if he signed for Newcastle, but the West Ham-born star was already sold, as Keegan was his childhood hero.
Lee got to play with Newcastle legends like Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley during his eight-year stay on Tyneside, where he established himself as one of the best midfielders the club has ever seen. On this 33rd anniversary of his move, Lee has posted a brilliant photo with Keegan.
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Rob Lee poses with Kevin Keegan to celebrate Newcastle United anniversary
Lee has been recognised by Newcastle’s current players in recent months. After beating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final at St James’ Park, Bruno Guimaraes dedicated the win to Lee, who missed the game due to an operation.
After the historic Carabao Cup win at Wembley Stadium, Lee posted an emotional message to Dan Burn, who scored the opener in the final against Liverpool.
Now, Lee took the time to relive old memories when he posted a picture with Keegan and former Newcastle owner John Hall during his contract signing in 1992.
Next to it was a recent picture of Lee and Keegan together again 33 years on.
On X, Lee wrote: “33 years ago and now!!”
There is no doubt that Lee lived the dream in his career, even if he was not a boyhood Newcastle fan. He lived up to Keegan’s promise that he would play for England; he was capped 21 times for the Three Lions between 1994 and 1998.
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Alan Shearer snubbed Rob Lee in his Newcastle United best-ever XI
Shearer and Lee had a close bond during their Newcastle careers. The pair played together on Tyneside for six years under the likes of Kenny Dalglish and Sir Bobby Robson.
However, when it came time for Shearer to name his best-ever Newcastle XI, there was no place for Lee.
Shearer included legends like Shay Given, Paul Gascoigne and Beardsley in his side, snubbing the likes of Malcolm Macdonald and Lee.
When asked about the decision to leave them out, Shearer said: “It’s tough on Supermac and Rob Lee but I can only pick 11.”
Perhaps Shearer’s XI would be different now compared to the list he chose in 2017, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier surely in with a chance of being included.
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