10 Players Who Stole A Living From Newcastle United

8. Fumaca

One of the only stains on Sir Bobby Robson's career at Newcastle United is that for some reason he was convinced - apparently by coach Mick Wadsworth who had had him at Colchester - that Brazilian Fumaca, who had played for three clubs in a single year, after failing to impress on trial at countless more, was worthy of being his first signing. Quite what Wadsworth was drinking when he made that informed decisions will probably never be revealed, but it looks improbable to say the least: Fumaca managed only 14 minutes for Colchester, then moved to Barnsley and didn't make an appearance before joining Crystal Palace, where he made a massive 3 appearances in just 20 days, before Newcastle snapped him up. On Tyneside he started strongly, showing enough in training to earn 5 unthinkable league appearances, and single-handedly proved to every Newcastle fan that there actually are Brazilians in the world who cannot play football. Having conned a year's wage out of the club, Fumaca also had the honour of being one of the first players Robson sold, the following summer, presumably after he hauled Wadsworth over the coals and took away all of his scouting privileges. The Brazilian proved that there definitely can be some smoke (the meaning of his name) without anything even approaching fire.