10 Players Who Didn't Fulfil Their Potential At Newcastle

So much wasted talent...

By Dan Lloyd /

On reflection, Newcastle United have made an incredible amount of terrible transfers over the years. From the ridiculously expensive period where Newcastle were trying (and sadly mostly failing) to keep their European hopes alive in the mid-2000s, to the players who were virtually unknown (even by the manager in the case of Nacho Gonzalez), the club's old transfer policy was riddled with issues. But it wasn't all just a matter of bad signings. Sometimes players were identified as good prospects or as having the potential to be immediate major impacts on the first-team; scouting reports were compiled, excitement built, and still they managed to disappoint. This list will highlight ten such flops who came to Newcastle and garnered somewhat high hopes to succeed. Whether they were academy prospects who came through the ranks, or were signed after they had some buzz surrounding them, these players all did not cut the mustard at one of the top Premier League clubs. Despite having a major impact on the Premier League, and ranking as one of the most successful cumulatively over the years (without winning anything), it's no real surprise that the majority of flops came from the period between the years of 2000 and 2009, from the highs of getting to the second group stage in the Champions League, competing with the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan, to the lows of relegation. This list cannot feature every player who has come through Newcastle's ranks and flopped - that would surely go on forever - and inevitably some of the players you will expect to find on this list are not in here. But the ones who made it are undoubtedly worthy of special mention...