The Back Page ~ Sporting Memorabilia in Newcastle
For more than 20 years, The Back Page has been part of Newcastle’s football scene, welcoming supporters, collectors and visitors from across the UK and around the world. What began as a small shop in the shadow of St James’ Park has grown into five stores across the North East, plus an online shop packed with official football merchandise, exclusive designs, books, gifts, and memorabilia.
But The Back Page has never been just about selling football shirts and souvenirs.
It’s about the memories attached to the game. The stories, the characters, the nostalgia and the excitement of finding something that takes you straight back to a particular match, player or moment.
That’s what makes football special — and it’s what makes The Back Page special too.
From a Dream to a Newcastle Institution
The story began on 28 November 2003, when The Back Page opened its doors on St Andrews Street in Newcastle upon Tyne.
For Newcastle lad Mick Edmondson, opening the shop realised a lifelong dream. And being just a stone’s throw from St James’ Park meant the shop quickly became part of the city’s football culture.
Over the years, generations of supporters have walked through those doors. Some are regulars, some are collectors, and others have travelled from across the world to visit what has become a football pilgrimage.
We’ve lost count of how many visitors have told us it’s one of the best football shops they’ve ever seen.
We’re certainly not going to argue!
The original St Andrews Street shop has developed its own character. Spread across two floors, it’s packed with football books, shirts, programmes, prints, flags, badges, signed memorabilia, Subbuteo, Soccer Starz and plenty more.
Put simply, if it’s connected to football, you’ll likely find it at The Back Page.
Five Shops Across the North East
The Back Page has grown considerably since those early days, but we’ve always stayed true to our Newcastle roots.
In 2016, we opened our second shop at the Metrocentre in Gateshead. In 2024, we opened Eldon Square in Newcastle city centre, followed shortly afterwards by our Cramlington store at Manor Walks.
In 2025, we opened our fifth outlet inside Newcastle Central Station, completing our current group of stores.
Each shop is slightly different and has its own character, but they all share the same love of football, Newcastle and the North East.
Newcastle – St Andrews Street
The original.
For many football fans, a visit to our St Andrews Street shop is an essential part of any trip to Newcastle.
Spread across two floors, it’s a proper football treasure trove, with a huge selection of new football books alongside shirts, retro and classic football tops, match programmes, prints, flags, signed memorabilia, badges, toys, collectables and much more.
We’re particularly proud of our football book collection and are regarded as one of the world’s largest stockists of new football books.
The shop also carries officially licensed merchandise from a huge range of British and European clubs, so you don’t have to be a Newcastle supporter to find something you like.
And there’s always something new to discover.
Our local team knows their football and is always happy to help — whether you’re trying to track down a particular book, looking for a present, or fancy a good browse.
There’s even more to come.
We’re planning to reopen the basement, creating space for even more football treasures, including second-hand and collectable books, old programmes, magazines, trade cards, postcards, match tickets, fanzines, DVDs and plenty of other football memorabilia.
For collectors, that could be dangerous territory!
The Metrocentre
Our Metrocentre shop opened on 1 October 2016, bringing The Back Page experience to one of the North East’s busiest shopping destinations.
With more than 2,250 square feet dedicated to football books, souvenirs and memorabilia, the store has become a destination in its own right.
It has also hosted memorable events over the years, including book signings and appearances by some of the biggest names in football and sport.
Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne, Jack Charlton, Lee Clark, Terry McDermott, Glenn McCrory, Steve Harmison and Michael Carrick are just some of the famous names who have visited for signing events.
Alongside football merchandise, the shop offers a great selection of North East books and gifts, plus officially licensed products and exclusive designs created by The Back Page.
Whether you’re shopping for a Newcastle United supporter, a football-mad friend, or someone who loves the North East, there’s plenty to explore.
Eldon Square, Newcastle
In June 2024, The Back Page returned to Newcastle city centre with a new shop in Eldon Square.
Located between John Lewis and Marks & Spencer on Earls Way, the store focuses on Newcastle United, with official club merchandise, exclusive Back Page designs, and a selection of Geordie souvenirs and local gifts.
It’s a handy place to stop while you’re enjoying a day in the city — and a good opportunity to pick up something a little different to remember your visit.
Cramlington
Our fourth shop opened at Manor Walks Shopping Centre in Cramlington on 4 October 2024.
It quickly became popular with local shoppers and football supporters from across Northumberland and North Tyneside, including visitors from Ashington, Morpeth, Blyth, Bedlington, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth.
The store combines official Newcastle United merchandise with our own exclusive designs, alongside a selection of local gifts and souvenirs.
Newcastle Central Station
Our newest shop opened in May 2025, inside the historic Newcastle Central Railway Station.
It’s smaller than our other stores and has a kiosk-style layout, but it doesn’t lack personality—or merchandise.
The shop is packed with Newcastle and Tyneside gifts, official Newcastle United products and exclusive Back Page designs.
Its location makes it particularly popular with people arriving in the city, giving visitors the perfect opportunity to pick up a little piece of Newcastle before heading home.
Official Football Merchandise
One of The Back Page’s strengths is the sheer variety of football merchandise we carry.
We’re an official retail outlet for licensed products from a huge range of major clubs, including Newcastle United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Celtic, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur and many more.
And that’s only part of the story.
Our physical shops carry far more than we can list online, including products from major British and European clubs.
So if you’re visiting Newcastle and you’re a football supporter, it’s always worth popping into one of our stores.
You never quite know what you might find.
Exclusive Designs You Won’t Find Everywhere. However, official sporting merchandise is only half of what we do.
Over the years, The Back Page has developed its own collection of bespoke, exclusive designs, many created specifically for our shops. They celebrate Newcastle, football, and the character of the North East, often with a healthy dose of Geordie humour.
Some designs are available online, while others are only available in our physical stores.
So even if you’ve visited The Back Page before, there’s always the chance you’ll come across something you haven’t seen before.
A Football Shop With Some Famous Visitors
Over the years, The Back Page has welcomed an impressive list of famous faces.
Football legends, sporting heroes, entertainers and local personalities have all visited us, including Peter Beardsley, Paul Gascoigne, Jack Charlton, Terry McDermott, Shay Given, Rob Lee, Michael Carrick, Tim Krul, Dan Burn and many more.
We’ve also welcomed sporting greats such as Steve Harmison, Glenn McCrory and Greg Rutherford, along with entertainers including Ant McPartlin, Ben Elton, Captain Sensible and the team behind VIZ.
It’s quite a guestbook.
But as much as we enjoy welcoming famous visitors, some of our favourite customers are the people who keep coming back — often bringing their children and grandchildren with them.
That’s something we’re particularly proud of.
Because ultimately, that’s what makes the shops special.
More Than a Shop
At heart, The Back Page is about football culture. It’s the excitement of finding an old programme you remember from years ago.
It’s discovering a book you’ve been searching for. It’s spotting a retro shirt that takes you straight back to your childhood.
It’s picking up a Newcastle souvenir before a match. Or finding the perfect present for someone who lives and breathes football.
It’s also about Newcastle and the wider North East.
Our shops carry plenty of local books, gifts and souvenirs celebrating Tyneside, Northumberland and the people who call the region home.
And, of course, you can expect a warm Geordie welcome while you’re here.
Come and See Us
From one small shop on St Andrews Street in 2003 to five stores across the North East today, The Back Page has come a long way.
But our reason for starting hasn’t changed.
We still love football. We still love Newcastle. And we still love helping people discover something they didn’t know they were looking for.
Whether you’re a lifelong Newcastle United supporter, a serious football collector, a lover of the beautiful game, or simply looking for a unique gift, there’s plenty to discover.
And remember, our physical shops carry far more than we can fit on our website, including exclusive designs and officially licensed merchandise from clubs across Britain and Europe.
So next time you’re in Newcastle, Gateshead, Cramlington or Northumberland, why not call in?
Have a browse. Have a chat. See what catches your eye.
You might find an old favourite. You might discover something completely unexpected, and most importantly, enjoy yourself.
Have a canny day, hinny!
