1. Alan Shearer And Les Ferdinand (As A Partnership)
Season with NUFC: 1996/97 Appearances: 80 combined, Goals: 49 (Shearer 28, Ferdinand 21) Initial concerns over the similarities between Shearer and Ferdinand soon evaporated as Newcastle's deadly strike axis blazed a goal-trail through the Premier League for a single season in the late nineties. Shearer's world record £15 million transfer from Blackburn sparked euphoric scenes on Tyneside with Ferdinand even relinquishing his no.9 shirt to his new Geordie accomplice. The rapport was instant on the field as the duo - who remarkably were rarely paired together at international level - proved a prolific source of goals for the Toon as we finished second again behind Manchester Unite in the table. To our horror the clinical pairing was disbanded by Kenny Dalglish in the summer of 1997 as Ferdinand angled for a move to boyhood club Tottenham after becoming increasingly overshadowed by Shearer. It was a request that was duly granted and Sir Les was sold to Spurs for £6m ironically the day after Shearer suffered a serious knee ligament injury. We'll never be treated to a partnership like it at St James' Park ever again.
