Alious
Liam O’Brien never imagined that a single free-kick would turn him into a cult hero on Tyneside. Yet more than three decades after curling home a dramatic winner for Newcastle United against Sunderland at Roker Park in 1992, his name still echoes around St James’ Park.
That unforgettable strike — his second decisive goal against the Black Cats in successive seasons — came while O’Brien was wearing Newcastle’s iconic Brazil-yellow away kit. The precision of the free-kick, and his Irish flair, earned him the nickname **“Zico”** from then-manager Kevin Keegan. What O’Brien didn’t realise at the time was that the goal would make him immortal in the eyes of the Newcastle faithful.
“I honestly didn’t grasp how big it was on the day,” O’Brien recalled in an interview with *The Gazette*. “After the match, I went for a few drinks with some mates who were massive Newcastle fans. They said to me, ‘You don’t realise what you’ve done, do you?’
“I said, ‘Yeah — I scored the winner.’ And they replied, ‘No… you’ll never be forgotten.’”
At the time, O’Brien laughed it off. But the truth of those words has only grown stronger with time.
“Even now, it still means everything to me,” he said. “The fact the fans still sing my name after all these years is incredible.”
The Derby Returns — And So Does the Fire
Sunderland’s return to the Premier League has reignited one of English football’s most intense rivalries, with Newcastle set to visit the Stadium of Light for a league fixture for the first time in over a decade. The sides last met in the FA Cup in 2024, when Newcastle ran out 3–0 winners, but this time the contest promises to be far more evenly balanced.
Sunderland arrive unbeaten at home in the league and sitting just one point above their fierce rivals — a far cry from the days when Newcastle supporters watched their neighbours struggle in League One and the Championship.
Despite that, O’Brien believes the rivalry’s return is great for the game.
“It’s brilliant,” he said. “Both sets of fans live for it. You can’t beat a proper derby — the tension, the build-up, the banter. There are Sunderland and Newcastle fans who work together, live together, know each other — so when you win, the bragging rights are priceless.
“You go into work the next day, chest out, saying ‘We beat you.’ That’s what it’s all about.”
‘Mackem Slayer’ and Derby Specialist
Among Newcastle supporters, O’Brien’s reputation is sealed by his two goals against Sunderland — the famous 1992 free-kick and an instinctive chip the season before. Add three more goals against Middlesbrough, and his derby pedigree speaks for itself.
But which strike does he rank higher?
“I usually say the chip was the better goal,” O’Brien admitted. “I didn’t have time to think — I just saw the keeper off his line and lifted it. With the free-kick, I knew exactly where I was putting it.
“The intensity of those games hits you immediately. Newcastle–Sunderland especially — there’s nothing like it. The tension is on another level.”
‘Newcastle Is My Club’
As his moments live on in chants and memories, O’Brien speaks of Newcastle United with deep affection, calling it his club.
“I love it,” he said. “I’m trying to get as many people in Ireland as possible to support Newcastle because that’s my club now. Both my sons are huge fans — one was even born there.
“They go over for four or five games a season and watch every match on TV. Newcastle will never leave this household.”
With the club enjoying a resurgence — including last season’s Carabao Cup triumph and a return to the Champions League — O’Brien is optimistic about the future.
“That trophy was massive,” he said. “Now they’re back among Europe’s elite. If they keep building the squad, everything is heading in the right direction.”
Alious
