8 Childhood Newcastle United Fans Who (Eventually) Signed As Players

3. Pavel Srnicek

Jacob Murphy Child Newcastle United
Aubrey Washington/EMPICS Sport

Czech goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek had made just 30 professional appearances when he signed for Newcastle in 1991, but he soon became a huge favourite on Tyneside. Chants of "Pavel is a Geordie" rang around St. James' Park whenever he was on the pitch, and though Srnicek's form was occasionally erratic, his popularity endured throughout his tenure and beyond.

Srnicek first left Newcastle in 1998, having made over 180 appearances, but returned in 2006. He received a massive ovation from the fans after coming on as a substitute against Spurs that December, and made his first NUFC start in over nine years three days later, though he was released at the end of the season.

An honorary Geordie, Pav's famous chant came from his lifelong affection for the club, which was revealed upon signing. He remains a cult favourite among NUFC fans today, with his tragic December 2015 passing prompting a huge outpouring of grief from his supporters in the North East. Said chant eventually provided the title of his 2015 autobiography, and while Srnicek was a far from perfect goalkeeper, his love of the club spawned the kind of kinship most players can only dream of.

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