10 Underwhelming Newcastle Signings Who Became Cult Heroes

6. Kevin Nolan

When Kevin Nolan hangs up his boots, he will be able to look back on a decent career, during which time he scored plenty of goals. Possessing fine technical ability, Nolan's game is based all around arriving late in the box to finish off moves or feed off the scraps from the side's target man. Whether it be Kevin Davies, Andy Carroll or Carlton Cole, it's no coincidence that the Scouse-born midfielder needs a big man up front to get the best out of his own game.

Which is why it was no surprise that the former Bolton stalwart failed to replicate any of his goal-scoring form for the Tyneside club upon his arrival, with a strike partnership of Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins - 5''8 and 5''7 - already in place. There were warning signs for the Geordies that Nolan was something of a panic buy, having been out of form all season long. His knack of scoring had seemingly deserted him, as he had failed to register a single goal all season.

Plumping for a player thoroughly out of form and throwing him into a system that simply didn't suit him wasn't just an eyebrow-raiser, it was an act of stupidity, and was ultimately inevitable when he failed to illuminate St. James' Park upon his arrival. Similar to the club itself, Nolan found rejuvenation in the Championship, rediscovering his goal-scoring habit, as he plundered 17 goals from midfield. The famous rapport with Andy Carroll was borne, and Nolan continued his hot streak alongside the Geordie No.9 in the Premier League, finishing the season with 12 goals in 30 appearances.

A hat-trick on an emotional day at Ipswich Town as both sides remembered the recently-departed Sir Bobby Robson endeared him to Toon supporters, but a further treble in a 5-1 defeat of the Mackems a year later cemented his place in Geordie folklore.