Newcastle were beaten 3–0 by Liverpool, whose first two goals were from shots by Kevin Keegan and Steve Heighway that McFaul got his fingertips to but was unable to stop.
Many Northern Ireland fans reflect that his true ability was never fully seen at international level due to it being the Pat Jennings era.
[citation needed] His first game in charge was away to Southampton, where he made the bold decision to make 18-year-old Paul Gascoigne the playmaker of the team.
[citation needed] By the end of August, Newcastle had beaten Liverpool 1–0, a result that was good enough to earn McFaul a permanent deal as manager.
[citation needed] Little transfer activity over the summer of 1986 meant that Newcastle had a bad start to the 1986–87 season and found them bottom of the table in November.
McFaul was given money to spend and he brought in Andy Thomas and spent a club record £400,000 on Paul Goddard from West Ham United.
[citation needed] Goddard's arrival inspired the team to wins over Chelsea, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest.
[citation needed] A 3–0 defeat at home to Coventry City spelt the end for McFaul, who had only been given the job three years earlier for a couple of matches and had given his all for Newcastle United.