Local Football Heroes from Newcastle United Named the Official Starters
Players from the Carabao Cup winning Newcastle United team will officially start the 2025 AJ Bell Great North Run taking place this Sunday, 7 September.
Star winger Jacob Murphy and goalkeeper Nick Pope will represent the team on the iconic starters platform to set 60,000 runners off for the 44th edition of the world’s greatest half marathon.
Newcastle United’s 2–1 victory over Liverpool back in March ended their 70 year wait for domestic silverware much to the delight of the Toon army.
Sir Brendan Foster, Founder of the Great North Run and President of The Great Run Company, said: “We’ve had a Prime Minister, England football managers, Rock stars, Olympic Champions, TV Celebrities and a whole host more, but in 44 years of the Great North Run we’ve never had players representing a North East football club who have won a major trophy.”
“The success of the Magpies was celebrated far and wide across the North East so it was only fitting to continue those celebrations at this year’s AJ Bell Great North Run.”
Newcastle United join a long list of North East heroes who have performed official starting duties at the Great North Run including; Sting, Ant and Dec, Sir Bobby Robson, Alan Shearer, Eddie Howe, and Jill Scott, as well as fellow Olympic Champions, Sir Chris Hoy and Dame Kelly Holmes.
The 2025 AJ Bell Great North Run taking place this Sunday 7 September will once again be broadcast live on BBC One from 10am. Elite athletes will line up alongside 60,000 runners, cheered on by over 200,000 supporters lining the iconic course route from Newcastle city centre to the coastal town of South Shields. Many runners will be taking part to support worthy causes, raising an estimated £25 million pounds for charity.
Ahead of the running action this weekend which will see over 75,000 runners take part, tens of thousands of people have already entered the September Ballot for the 2026 AJ Bell Great North Run. Eager participants have until midnight on Sunday 14th September to register.
For your chance to be on that iconic start line – sign up here now.
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