10 Best Free Signings Ever Made By Newcastle United

4. Kevin Sheedy

Sheedy is a player that will come before the time of modern Newcastle supporters but he was a crucial component in Kevin Keegan's side that blitzed a trail through Division One to the promised land of the Premier League in the 1992/93 campaign.

The Republic of Ireland possessed one of the most feared left foots in Europe and was a signing that captured the imagination as he approached the peak of his career at 32, even turning down the chance of a testimonial at Everton to join the Keegan revolution at St James' Park and pull on a Black and White shirt.

At the time of his arrival the Magpies were in peril and staring oblivion straight in the face. Sheedy and fellow new recruit Brian Kilcline were required to call upon their collective experience to resuscitate our fight for survival and succeeded in hauling us away from the relegation trapdoor as we clung onto our Division Two status by the skin of our teeth.

Sheedy featured 25 times the next season and scored twice from the left wing, including the winner in a 1-0 victory at Peterborough, as we conquered the second tier to seal a place in the top-flight. He left in 1995 knowing his contributions had effectively saved a Club on the cusp of a relegation that would have catastrophic ramifications. For that we are eternally grateful.