10 Most Undeserving Players Who Appeared 50 Times For Newcastle

6. Alessandro Pistone - 63 Appearances

Newcastle's record with foreign imports has been a mixed bag, but they should probably have learned from their failures in the Italian market so far: Davide Santon has faded (thanks mostly to Alan Pardew), Francesco Coco lasted one game and Alessandro Pistone was more memorable for a Christmas present prank than anything he did on the pitch. Rather notoriously, Pistone was given a sheep's heart during a Secret Santa ceremony at the club's Christmas party, to replace the one missing from his chest, and that said exactly what needed to be said about his performances. He was a mostly bland player, too easily kicked or pushed off the ball, and he has the unfortunate honour of being the subject of Ruud Gullit's only good decision at Newcastle, when he stripped him of his number and made him train with the kids. As an indication of exactly what Newcastle fans value most, after the Italian broke his leg in a fierce derby match, he was welcomed back to St. James' Park the following week as if he were some sort of conquering hero. All because he'd put his physical health on the line against Sunderland (when the reality was, he was simply, cynically fouled) - that is hardly enough to justify how he made 63 appearances.