Magpie Memories When Ruud Ran Out At Reading

IT'S proved a popular quiz question in recent years: When did Ruud Gullit first pull on the black and white stripes for Newcastle United?

The answer, of course, was on our only previous visit to Reading's Madejski Stadium back in July 1999.

The Magpies travelled to Berkshire to help mark the opening of the Royals' brand new stadium, but it was the Dutchman who grabbed the headlines when he named himself among the substitutes for a pre-season friendly ... and then introduced himself into the fray at half-time with his team trailing 2-0.

The sight of Gullit on the pitch lifted his team and it was his 50-yard diagonal pass to Paul Robinson that saw the forward win a penalty converted by his young strike partner James Coppinger.

Not to be outdone, Robinson levelled things ten minutes from time as the game finished 2-2.

That summer saw Gullit's team play nine friendlies in just 17 days. A Dutch trip to face minnows Den Bosch, SV Deurne and Helmond Sport was followed by games at Livingston, Dundee United, Reading, Celtic, Stoke and finally, German outfit Vfl Bochum.

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