10 Players Who Probably Regret Joining Newcastle

Playing in the Premier League in front of 52,000 loyal fans would be a dream come true for most professional footballers. Make the right impression at St James' Park and you'll go down in Geordie folklore - just ask Kevin Keegan's group of Entertainers if you need any proof. However, on occasions, a move to Tyneside has turned into a nightmare and for some their ill-fated spell with the club will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Whether they were labelled a mercenary, showed a lack of commitment, or just never really clicked with the passionate supporters in the North East, certain players are likely to regret ever stepping foot on the hallowed turf. Over the years there have definitely been quite a few flops turn out in the black and white stripes, but which wish they never signed on the dotted line? Florian Thauvin must surely be regretting his decision to come to the North East last summer. The one-time fans' favourite at Marseille spent little over six months on Tyneside before returning to the South of France with his tail between his legs. However, as he found on occasions at Newcastle, he has been subjected to a torrent of abuse by his own supporters and he must wonder why it's all going so wrong, so quickly. But who else's poor decision making has led to fans loathing them, their names making the fans cringe, or worse yet, ruined their career?

10. Hugo Viana

When Sir Bobby Robson brought the Portuguese midfielder to Tyneside in 2002, big things were expected of the Young European Player of the Year. Viana came with a big price tag and a reputation of being very competent of picking out a long-ball pass - a bit like Jonjo Shelvey whose cross-field diagonal balls are currently winning rave reviews at the start of his Magpies career. However, unlike Shelvey, Viana wasn't used to the fast pace of the Premier League and he was often caught wanting too much time on the ball. It was clear in the early stages that his confidence was rapidly decreasing and Robson decided against awarding him a regular spot in the first team. When the player was selected for a starting berth, he regularly found himself being forced to play out of position, meaning his true qualities never really stood out for the Toon Army supporters. On the odd time Viana did flourish, Newcastle looked a very potent attacking threat - most notably against Feyenoord in the Champions League - but too often he would save his best for the European stage - a fact which would seal the manager's and fans' views that he probably wasn't cut out for England's top tier. His spell on Tyneside threatened to derail his career, but successful stints at Sporting CP and Valencia managed to steady the ship, although who knows just how far he could have gone had he chosen a different route. He just has to look at Cristiano Ronaldo's rise to the top and ask the question 'what if?'.