10 Most Undeserving Players Who Appeared 50 Times For Newcastle

4. Shola Ameobi - 397 Appearances

The Mackem Slayer might have been considered Mr Newcastle by Alan Pardew before he was released this summer, but if Kevin Keegan had had his way, the rangy striker would not have been at Newcastle for the last 5 or 6 years of his contracted time. Keegan was the only manager over the course of the nearly 20 years Shola played for Newcastle to recognise the fact that the striker simply wasn't good enough, and rather than allowing him to pick up hundreds of substitute appearances, he simply decided to get rid of him. Sadly for him, Stoke didn't fancy Shola after a short loan and he came back to the club before Keegan was constructively dismissed and Newcastle were relegated. And by then, any chance of suitors for his signature were even scarcer. There's no denying the fact that Shola was a good servant to the club, but then like Alan Pardew what choice did he have: he was over-achieving on Tyneside, and the fact that he managed to make 178 appearances as a substitute says everything about how the club viewed him. That he got to almost 400 appearances for the club is utterly astonishing, but fair play to him.