In this era, Steven Taylor began to score on a much regular basis compared to the average defender. In January 2015, he overtook Steve Watson and Robbie Elliott to become Newcastle's highest scoring defender in the Premier League as he scored his twelfth and final Newcastle goal as he opened the scoring in a 3-3 draw at home to Burnley.

The last of the goals from this era came in the amazing 5-1 victory over Sunderland. I do not need to go into much more detail than that. So this era covers the beginning of our immediate return to the Premier League as we experienced high scoring wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland.

Date: 11th August 2007 to 31st October 2010 (1,177 days)

First goal

Bolton 0 Newcastle 2 (Obafemi Martins 21) - 11/08/07

It was Sam Allardyce's first competitive game in charge of Newcastle and it was a visit to the club he spent eight years at before succeeding Glenn Roeder as Newcastle manager. It was an excellent start and Newcastle were 3-0 up before half time. Martins' first goal that afternoon marked the start of the ninth centurion of Newcastle Premier League goals as he was on the receiving end of a cross, chested the ball down and, with his back to goal, produced a delicate overhead kick which was enough to beat the keeper.

Most important goal

Newcastle 2 (Kevin Nolan 34) Sunderland 0 - 31/10/10

Goal 900: Club legend, Kevin Nolan grabbed a hat-trick on derby day and his second goal that day takes my vote for the most important goal of this era. Following Nolan's excellent first to break the deadlock, the second goal enabled us to stamp our authority on the game and certainly calmed a lot of trembling nerves that there were at the start of the game. The goal came about when Jonas Gutierrez went on a promising run with the ball and went for goal but his shot was deflected towards Andy Carroll who attempted a spectacular bicycle kick which went to a just onside Kevin Nolan who had time to take a touch and calmly finish to send the crowd into jubilant celebrations.

Best goal

Everton 0 Newcastle United 1 (Hatem Ben Arfa 45) - 18/09/10

Goal 892: A superbly powerful strike from long range by Hatem Ben Arfa gets my vote for the best goal in this era. On his first start following his loan move from Marseille which was later made a permanent deal, the French international received the ball from Wayne Routledge and after a brief moment of weighing up his options and lack of Everton players closing him down, he simply let fly and beat Tim Howard. That goal became the only goal of the game as Newcastle grabbed, what is to this day, their only victory at Goodison Park in the past 17 years.

Most goals in a match

Newcastle United 6 (Joey Barton 12, Kevin Nolan 31, 87, Andy Carroll 34, 67, 90) Aston Villa - 22/08/10

Andy Carroll ended a long-running drought of a Newcastle player scoring a hat-trick in the Premier League. The club's youth academy product bagged the club's eighth Premier League hat-trick and the first one since Michael Owen v West Ham in December 2005. Shortly before the season began, Joey Barton took it upon himself to grow a mustache which he would pledge to shave off after the club achieves their first win after regaining their status as a Premier League once again. After an expected defeat away at Old Trafford the previous week, Barton did not have to wait much longer as that all important first win came in the second week against Aston Villa and quite appropriately opened the scoring which turned into a rout.

Favourite opponents

West Ham (Mark Viduka x2, Charles N'Zogbia, Obafemi Martins, Geremi, Michael Owen x2, Andy Carroll x2, Kevin Nolan) - 10 goals.

Highest scorer

Michael Owen (Wigan x2, Everton x2, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Birmingham, Fulham, Tottenham, Reading, Sunderland x2, Bolton, West Ham x2, Blackburn, Stoke x2, Portsmouth) - 19 goals.

Money grabbing bas**** who refused to play for the club, put in next to no effort at times and never watched the team play whilst he was injured. He somehow scored more goals than anyone in this century of goals simply goes to show the lack of quality we had. In words that the sh*** pundit/co commentator can understand, he was a player with two feet (albeit ones that kept getting injured so much you could be forgiven for thinking they were made of glass littered with 'fragile' stickers on them).

Statistics

Right foot: 49 (down 7 from Goals 701-800)

Header: 27 (up 7)

Left foot: 23 (down 1)

Other: 1 (up 1)

Inside the box: 88 (up 6)

Outside the box: 12 (down 6)

Open play: 72 (up 6)

Set piece situation: 18 (up 1)

Penalty: 9 (down 2)

Free kick (directly): 1 (down 5)

At St. James' Park: 59 (up 2)

- Gallowgate End: 35 (up 3)

- Leazes End: 24 (down 1)

Away from home: 41 (down 2)

Strikers: 60 (up 11)

Midfielders: 27 (down 15)

Defenders: 10 (up 3)

Own goals: 3 (up 1)