They say changing the personnel of a beleaguered team can often be the final nail in their coffin: the destabilisation of the dressing room can be a fatal blow that actually sets the team back. But Newcastle have once again had to twist in the January window after a disappointing first half of the season, which has seen them trapped in and around the bottom three for the majority of the term. They've already spent an impressive amount in bringing in Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet and fans will be looking for more. When and if they come in, the club will no doubt be hoping for an impact similar to the arrival of Sir Bobby Robson in 1999 and his emphatic reinvigoration of the team, rather than the impact of signing David Batty in 1996. Luckily, there's a long history of new players making stunning debuts for the Toon, from beyond even the Premier League years. So for all the concerns over players needing time to gel and the call for experience, we should remember that several of the best Magpies debuts - including a very brief cameo by Tino Asprilla - were incredible no matter how used to English football the players in question were. With Jonjo Shelvey's brilliant bow against West Ham fresh in the memory, it's time to explore the greatest first appearances by new Toon players over the years...
