''He is one of the most significant signings in Newcastle in many years. It is like the feeling when Alan Shearer came home. - Sir Bobby Robson, July 2004. ''It feels really good - its a dream come true. I always wanted to come to a top club in England and today is the day. Last year, Newcastle ended fifth, and the most important thing is to bring the club a little bit higher if its possible - and I think we can do well also in the Champions League. - Patrick Kluivert, July 2004.
There was so optimism brimming from both camps when the 28 year old Dutchman teamed up with Newcastle United in the summer of 2004. With a wealth of experience under his belt, the recently-released Barcelona front-man had a CV to rival the very best strikers in Europe. With 120 goals scored in 255 games for the Catalonian outfit, along with the Euro 2000 Golden Boot, and a Champions League-winning strike for Ajax as an 18 year old, Kluivert was a massive name in European football. When Barcelona let it be known that they would not be renewing his contract, the predictable media frenzy began to throw out a host of top clubs that the former Ajax and Milan striker could end up at, with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool linked with the hit-man. The Toon Army love a striker, and mouths began to salivate when the Dutchman with an international record of 40 goals in 79 appearances rocked up at St. James Park to sign a three-year deal. Suddenly, Alan Shearer had some competition, it would appear. Sadly, the optimism didnt last long, with Sir Bobby shown the boot within a month of the season beginning, and Kluivert leaving the club at the end of a drab season, which heralded just six league goals and a drop of nine positions into 14th.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
