10 Newcastle Heroes Whose Careers Nosedived Since Leaving

9. Shay Given

Perhaps the timing of his decision to leave the sinking ship could be questioned, but nobody could really blame Shay Given for finally calling time on his Tyneside career in February 2009. It had been five years since the club were seriously challenging for Champions League places and he had consistently been forced to witness first-hand some of the most calamitous attempts at defending the Premier League has ever seen. Indeed, it was the 5-1 drubbing at home to Liverpool in December 2008 - a game where the Irishman still picked up the man-of-the-match award - that prompted his exit, citing it €˜as the lowest point of his career€™. Most Newcastle supporters wished their departing stalwart the best of luck in his new endeavours, having given twelve years of his career to the club, and he must have thought he would finally be challenging for major honours when money-bags Manchester City signed him for £6 million. Given spent 18 months in the first-team at Eastlands, before watching from the sidelines as Joe Hart returned from a loan spell to win the FA Cup during the 10/11 season. Unimpressed at being a deputy, the 35 year old signed a five-year contract at Aston Villa in July 2011 - a move that looks all the more bizarre now considering he hasn€™t spent more than one season as first-choice at Villa Park. Having been ousted by US goalkeeper Brad Guzan at the start of the 12/13 season, the veteran goalkeeper has yet to feature in the Premier League again.