The 2015–16 season was Newcastle United's sixth consecutive season in the Premier League and their 123rd year in existence. This season, Newcastle United participated in the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.
Season overview
24 May 2015: Newcastle United guarantee participation in the 2015–16 Premier League by beating West Ham United 2–0 in the final match of the 2014–15 Premier League season.
4 June 2015: Newcastle United announce their pre-season schedule for 10 July to 1 August 2015, consisting of matches against near-neighbours Gateshead, a tour to the United States to face Mexican side Atlas and United Soccer League sides Sacramento Republic and Portland Timbers 2, as well as matches against Sheffield United, York City and German side Borussia Mönchengladbach upon returning to England.
10 June 2015: Newcastle United sack coaches John Carver and Steve Stone prior to the 2015–16 season. Former England manager Steve McClaren is appointed the club's new head coach on a three-year deal, with an option to extend to eight years. McClaren is also appointed to the Newcastle United Board of Directors, along with chief scout Graham Carr and club ambassador Bob Moncur. Mike Ashley and John Irving both step down from the Board of Directors, with managing director Lee Charnley the only person to remain on the Board.
17 June 2015: The fixture list for the 2015–16 Premier League is released. Newcastle United will start their season on 9 August 2015 with a home match against Southampton kicking off at 13:30.
1 July 2015: The club confirm Macaulay Gillesphey, Tom Heardman, Liam Smith and Jamie Sterry have signed their first pro contracts, Davide Santon joins Inter Milan for £2.8 million and Remie Streete joins Port Vale on a free transfer.
2 July 2015: Head Coach Steve McClaren confirms the arrival of new coaching staff members. Paul Simpson and Ian Cathro are appointed as assistant coaches, Alessandro Schoenmaker is appointed as a fitness coach and Steve Black joins in a consultancy role.
6 July 2015: Adam Campbell joins Notts County on a free transfer after being released by the club.
7 July 2015: Sammy Ameobi signs a two-year contract extension, committing him to the club until June 2017. He also joins Cardiff City on a season-long loan for the 2015–16 season.
11 July 2015: Georginio Wijnaldum joins the club from PSV for £14.5m on a 5-year contract.
21 July 2015: Newcastle United announce the signing of Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrović from Belgian side Anderlecht on a five-year deal.
27 July 2015: Ryan Taylor joins Hull City on a free transfer after being released by the club.
28 July 2015: Adam Armstrong has joined Coventry City on a youth loan until 16 January 2016.
29 July 2015: Freddie Woodman has joined Crawley Town on a youth loan until 3 January 2016.
30 July 2015: Newcastle announce a signing Chancel Mbemba who has joined on a five-year deal.
31 July 2015: Newcastle announce their squad numbers for 2015–16 season and Andy Woodman leaves for Crystal Palace.
4 August 2015: Simon Smith is appointed as Newcastle United goalkeeping coach to replace Andy Woodman who went to Crystal Palace.
6 August 2015: Newcastle United sign Ivan Toney on a long-term deal from Northampton Town for an undisclosed fee. Former goalkeeper Jak Alnwick joins League One side Port Vale on a short-term deal. Fabricio Coloccini has signed a one-year extension to his contract which will keep him at St. James' Park until the end of the 2016/17 season, with the option of a further year.
7 August 2015: Shane Ferguson signs for Millwall on a 93-day emergency loan deal.
19 August 2015: Newcastle sign French winger Florian Thauvin from Marseille on a five-year deal, believed to be worth £12m. Rémy Cabella will go out on loan.
21 August 2015: Midfielder Mehdi Abeid joined Greek club Panathinaikos for an undisclosed fee.
1 September 2015: Olivier Kemen has joined Lyon on an undisclosed deal. Shane Ferguson extends his loan spell to 9 January 2016. Former Newcastle Midfielder Jonás Gutiérrez has signed for Deportivo La Coruña on a free transfer. Haris Vučkić joins Wigan Athletic on a season-long loan.
11 October 2015: Goalkeeper Freddie Woodman is recalled from Crawley Town as Tim Krul is out for the whole season with a knee injury.
29 October 2015: Mike Williamson has joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a one-month loan deal.
10 November 2015: Ivan Toney has joined Barnsley on a youth loan deal.
17 November 2015: Gaël Bigirimana has returned to Coventry City on an emergency loan deal. Mike Williamson has extended his loan deal to 16 January 2016.
1 December 2015: Mike Williamson has been recalled from his loan deal due to Jamaal Lascelles injury.
8 December 2015: Ivan Toney has extended his loan deal to 9 January 2016.
23 December 2015: Ivan Toney was recalled from his loan deal due to Papiss Cissé injury.
5 January 2016: Gaël Bigirimana has extended his loan deal until 24 January.
11 January 2016: Newcastle have confirmed the signing of Henri Saivet on a five-and-a-half deal.
12 January 2016: Shane Ferguson extends his loan spell to 23 January 2016. Newcastle have confirmed the signing of Jonjo Shelvey on a five-and-a-half deal.
14 January 2016: Adam Armstrong and Gaël Bigirimana have both extended their loan deals until the End of Season.
26 January 2016: Shane Ferguson has made his loan deal to a permanent deal.
27 January 2016: Newcastle have confirmed the signing of Andros Townsend on a five-and-a-half deal.
29 January 2016: Mike Williamson rejoins Wolverhampton Wanderers on a permanent deal. Ľubomír Šatka joins York City on a one-month loan deal.
31 January 2016: Florian Thauvin has signed for Marseille until the End of Season.
1 February 2016: Newcastle have signed Seydou Doumbia on a loan deal until the End of Season.
29 February 2016: Ľubomír Šatka has extended his loan deal until the End of Season.
2 March 2016: Eleven players are given schoolboy contracts prior to the 2016–17 season: Thomas Allan, Kieren Aplin, Lewis Cass, Isaac Gamblin, Lewis Gibson, Matty Longstaff, Jack Robson, Kurtis Russell, Ollie Walters, Kelland Watts and Adam Wilson.
11 March 2016: Managing Director Lee Charnley announced that manager Steve McClaren had been sacked as Newcastle United manager. A few hours later Steve McClaren was replaced by Rafael Benítez. Fabio Pecchia, Francisco de Míguel Moreno and Antonio Gómez Pérez all joined as first-team coaches.<ref name="Rafael Benitez: Newcastle United appoint Spaniard as Steve McClaren's successor"></</ref>
24 March 2016: Ivan Toney has rejoined Barnsley on a youth loan deal.
5 May 2016: Gabriel Obertan and Sylvain Marveaux left the club by mutual consent.
11 May 2016: Newcastle United were relegated to the Football League Championship as rivals Sunderland won 3–0 against Everton.
Club Coaching staff
The Newcastle United first team coaching staff for the 2015–16 season consists of the following:
First Team
Players First team squad
No. Name Nationality Position (s) Date of birth (age) Signed Signed from Signing fee Goalkeepers 1 Tim Krul GK 2006 ADO Den Haag Free 21 Rob Elliot Elliot was born in Greenwich, England. GK 2011 Charlton Athletic £300k 26 Karl Darlow GK 2014 Nottingham Forest £3m 41 Freddie Woodman GK 2014 Newcastle United Academy Free Defenders 2 Fabricio Coloccini CB 2008 Deportivo de La Coruña £10.3m 3 Paul Dummett Dummett was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. LB / CB 2010 Newcastle United Academy Free 15 Jamaal Lascelles CB 2014 Nottingham Forest £4m 18 Chancel Mbemba CB 2015 Anderlecht £8.5m 19 Massadio Haïdara LB 2013 Nancy £2m 22 Daryl Janmaat RB 2014 Feyenoord £5m 27 Steven Taylor CB / RB 2003 Newcastle United Academy Free 33 Curtis Good CB / LB 2012 Melbourne Heart £300k 35 Liam Gibson LB 2016 Newcastle United Academy Free 37 Ľubomír Šatka CB 2014 Newcastle United Academy Free 40 Callum Williams CB 2016 Newcastle United Academy Free 42 Jamie Sterry RB 2015 Newcastle United Academy Free 43 Kevin Mbabu CB 2013 Servette £1m Midfielders 4 Jack Colback CM 2014 Sunderland Free 5 Georginio Wijnaldum AM / RW 2015 PSV £14.5m 7 Moussa Sissoko CM / AM / RW 2013 Toulouse £1.8m 8 Vurnon Anita Anita was born in Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles. DM / RB 2012 Ajax £6.7m 10 Siem de Jong de Jong was born in Aigle, Switzerland. AM / SS 2014 Ajax £7.5m 11 Yoan Gouffran LW / ST 2013 Bordeaux £500k 12 Jonjo Shelvey CM 2016 Swansea City £12m 16 Rolando Aarons Aarons was born in Kingston, Jamaica. LW 2014 Newcastle United Academy Free 20 Florian Thauvin RW / LW 2015 Marseille £12m 23 Henri Saivet LW / CM 2016 Bordeaux £5m 24 Cheick Tioté DM 2010 Twente £3.5m 25 Andros Townsend RW / LW 2016 Tottenham Hotspur £12m 35 Gaël Bigirimana DM 2012 Coventry City £1m 47 Daniel Barlaser Barlaser was born in Gateshead, England. CM 2015 Newcastle United Academy Free Forwards 9 Papiss Cissé ST 2012 Freiburg £9m 17 Ayoze Pérez ST 2014 Tenerife £1.6m 28 Seydou Doumbia ST 2016 Roma Loan 29 Emmanuel Rivière ST 2014 Monaco £6.3m 32 Adam Armstrong ST 2014 Newcastle United Academy Free 36 Ivan Toney ST 2015 Northampton Town £500k 44 Callum Roberts ST 2014 Newcastle United Academy Free 45 Aleksandar Mitrović ST 2015 Anderlecht £13m
Reserve team
Youth team
Transfers In Date from Position Name From Fee Ref. 11 July 2015 MF Georginio Wijnaldum PSV £14.5m 21 July 2015 FW Aleksandar Mitrović Anderlecht £13m 30 July 2015 DF Chancel Mbemba Anderlecht £8.5m 6 August 2015 FW Ivan Toney Northampton Town £500,000 19 August 2015 MF Florian Thauvin Marseille £12m 11 January 2016 MF Henri Saivet Bordeaux £5m 12 January 2016 MF Jonjo Shelvey Swansea City £12m 27 January 2016 MF Andros Townsend Tottenham Hotspur £12.5m Total spending: £81.6m
Loans in Date from Position Name From Expiry Ref. 1 February 2016 FW Seydou Doumbia Roma End of Season
Out
Date from Position Name To Fee Ref. 1 July 2015 DF Davide Santon Inter Milan £2.8m 1 July 2015 DF Remie Streete Port Vale Free transfer 6 July 2015 ST Adam Campbell Notts County Free transfer 27 July 2015 DF Ryan Taylor Hull City Free transfer 6 August 2015 GK Jak Alnwick Port Vale Free transfer 21 August 2015 MF Mehdi Abeid Panathinaikos £1.5m 1 September 2015 MF Olivier Kemen Lyon Undisclosed 1 September 2015 MF Jonás Gutiérrez Deportivo La Coruña Free transfer 26 January 2016 MF Shane Ferguson Millwall Undisclosed 29 January 2016 DF Mike Williamson Wolverhampton Wanderers £250,000 5 May 2016 MF Gabriel Obertan Unattached Free transfer 5 May 2016 MF Sylvain Marveaux Unattached Free transfer Total incoming: ~ £5.01m
Loans out
Date from Position Name To Expiry Ref. 7 July 2015 MF Sammy Ameobi Cardiff City End of Season 28 July 2015 FW Adam Armstrong Coventry City End of Season 29 July 2015 GK Freddie Woodman Crawley Town 3 January 2016 7 August 2015 DF Shane Ferguson Millwall 23 January 2016 19 August 2015 MF Rémy Cabella Marseille End of season 1 September 2015MF Haris Vučkić Wigan AthleticEnd of Season 29 October 2015DF Mike Williamson Wolverhampton Wanderers16 January 2016 10 November 2015FW Ivan Toney Barnsley9 January 2016 17 November 2015MF Gaël Bigirimana Coventry CityEnd of Season 29 January 2016 DF Ľubomír Šatka York City End of Season 31 January 2016 MF Florian Thauvin Marseille End of Season 24 March 2016 FW Ivan Toney Barnsley 8 May 2016
Pre-season and friendlies
On 4 June 2015, Newcastle United announced their pre-season schedule which included a tour of the United States.
Competitions Overall
Overview