Nolberto Solano made more than 300 appearances for Newcastle during two spells in the North East - but his first period on Tyneside ended on a sour note after the Peruvian's relationship with Sir Bobby Robson deteriorated beyond repair. The right-winger had been an ever-present in Robson's exciting Magpies side who had qualified for the Champions League two seasons in a row, but after Solano left for Aston Villa in January 2004, he claimed a breakdown in his relationship with the manager had facilitated the move. Solano, upon returning to the club in 2005, said:
"It was a big wrench to leave Newcastle. My relationship with Robson was difficult in the end. "He changed his mind about me and I was not very happy with the decision he made to sell me. Bobby did not play me and did not tell me why. "I was not very happy. I needed the communication about why I was not playing. Bobby Robson said nothing to me."
Publicly the relationship seemed fine, but privately it appears Robson and Solano were not as close as many thought.