From the publisher:
Toon Army 1996 is a series of photographs by Keith Pattison that focuses on the emotions, facial expressions and instinctive reactions of Newcastle United fans in the stands during their dramatic 1995/96 and 1996/97 seasons.
The limited edition A5 zine contains 30 black and white photographs across 44 pages.
1996 and Newcastle United and their devoted Toon Army twice stood on the brink of Premier League titles.
In consecutive seasons they were to finish second, both times to Manchester United, first in the 95-96 season and again in 96-97.
The pride and passion of their fervent fans so nearly helped push them over the line; Keith Pattison’s pictures captured the raw emotion flooding down from the terraces during nine gripping games, home and away, from April at the tail end of one season through to September at the beginning of the next.
These were to be Newcastle’s highest ever finishes and the tension on the terraces, and sometimes live in front of the TV cameras, was electric.
Pattison focus was solely on the faces in the crowd, not on the match action.
“I was never tempted to turn around to catch a glance of play. The faces in front of me provided a running commentary in themselves, a 90-minute emotional rollercoaster.” Keith Pattison
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