ARTICLE: "Meet Malcolm - the biggest Newcastle United fan in Fiji" (Fiji 3, Newcastle United 0).

Nadi and Fiji stars Savenaca Waqa (left) and Henry Dyer in Namotomoto Village Extension, Nadi, 27 August 2015. This day in 1985 Savenaca kept a clean sheet against first-division opposition from England.

ARTICLE (by Mike Kelly, 27 April 2014): It’s a headline that has sadly become common place of late for Newcastle United . . . “3-0. Heroes humble English stars”.

The paper was the Fiji Sun, the date of the match was May 25, 1985, and the heroes who humiliated the Toon were the Fiji national team.

It was especially painful for Malcolm Harrison, one of Fiji’s biggest - and only - Toon fans.

The ex-pat Geordie had waited years for his home team to fly across the globe to his new home on the Pacific island.

But it was disappointment then, and now, almost 30 years later, the 74-year-old faces more heartache at the hands of his beloved team.

He’s travelled almost 10,000 miles back to the North, but he won’t be going any further than St James Park’s gates . . . because he’s so disappointed with their recent form.

“If they can’t be bothered, why should I?” he said.

Malcolm’s journey to Fiji began in 1970 when he worked for the North Shields Co-op and was sent to the company’s college in Loughborough.

There he met a number of Fijian students who he got on so well with they persuaded him to visit their country.

Being a bit adventurous he did. He applied to work there through the Voluntary Service Overseas scheme but at first hated it.

Then he met Olita, the woman who was soon to become his wife.

The couple moved briefly back to the UK in 1972 but now, with Olita, he found he missed Fiji and returned in 1974. The couple have lived there ever since.

They have three daughters, Leba, 38, Nicola, 36, and 34-year-old Olena. A successful career as a businessman followed.

During that time he continued his love of Newcastle United. He drives around his adopted home with his own special number plate, 2NRME.

And although he knows a handful of other ex-pat Geordies in the country - Ron Walsh, 95, and Nick Barnes, in his 40s from Northumberland - Malcolm is surely the Toon’s biggest fan on the other side of the globe.

Malcolm also turned out on the pitch himself in years gone by with an ex-pat football team called ‘The Hasbeens’.

Which takes us back to 1985 and Newcastle United, then managed by Jackie Charlton, arriving in Fiji for their match.

“The game was played in the afternoon and the temperature was about 34C,” recalled Malcolm, who is originally from Whitley Bay in North Tyneside.

“Newcastle had just flown in from New Zealand and, to put it bluntly, looked knackered.”

The team included stars such as Peter Beardsley, Glen Roeder, Gary Megson, George Reilly, John Anderson, Kenny Wharton, Dave McCreery and a teenage Paul Gascoigne.

“The crowd went mad when Fiji won,” said Malcolm.

But he revealed some of the Toon players, a bit aggrieved by the result, did themselves no favours by snubbing the fans.

“I have to say Willie McFaul was very good, as was Neil McDonald and Gary Megson,” he said.

However two days later a return match was played in the capital of Fiji, Suva.

“It kicked off at 7.30pm this time,” said Malcolm. “It was cooler and there had been a bit of rain.”

A long distance John Anderson strike and a Paul Gascoigne solo goal secured a 2-0 win.

To this day, Malcolm has kept the cuttings from the match.

But the last league game he saw at Newcastle was on Boxing Day 1991 when the Toon managed by Ossie Ardiles lost 1-0.

The last time he saw them play in the flesh was the 1999 FA Cup final against Manchester United.

“I told Olita I had to go as I’d never been to Wembley and ended up paying £500 for a ticket.”

The Toon were beaten 2-0 by the Red Devils. Worse still for Malcolm, the only ticket he could get was in the Manchester end.

“I had to stand up when they scored but I didn’t cheer,” he said.

Malcolm is excited by the news Newcastle might be doing a pre-season tour in New Zealand. The last time they did that was 1985 - when they ended up in Fiji.

Surely, this time, they would win all the games if they played there? “You’d like to think so,” said Malcolm, not too convincingly.

This article was first published at the following link: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-united-fan-malcolm-harrison-7037576

Prince Charles Park in Nadi for Fiji FACT 2015.

Nadi and Fiji stars Seremaia Tale, Henry Dyer, Savenaca Waqa.

Ba and Fiji stars Henry Dyer (left) and Semi Tabaiwalu.

Ba and Fiji stars Henry Dyer (left) and Meli Vuilabasa, 2 June 2015.

Henry Dyer (left) supervises kava preparation at Namotomoto Village, Nadi.

Henry Dyer (left) and University of Fiji professor / soccer researcher Kieran James @ Ba Central Club.

Nadi and Fiji champions Henry Dyer (left) and Inosi Tora at Namotomoto Village, Nadi.

One last Fiji Gold long-neck for Henry Dyer at Renee's Hostel, Naviti Street, Lautoka, after Nadi's 2-1 defeat of Ba at Govind Park on Friday, 6 March 2015.

Nadi legends Henry Dyer (left) and Boy Reddy. Boy Reddy played in Nadi's first IDC win in 1969.

SUGAR CITY BLUES: Former Lautoka Blues and Fiji teammates Henry Dyer (left) and Wally Mausio at the Lautoka Club around 2014-15.