Joel Richards 

In February 1996, Kevin Keegan signed what he felt would be the final piece in the jigsaw of his swashbuckling Newcastle United side. What Keegan and the Toon Army got instead was a player who created as much drama off the pitch as he did on it. 

An instrumental figure in Parma’s rise, Faustino Asprilla found himself out of head coach Nevio Scala’s plans in 1995-96. Perhaps the warning signs were already there, yet Newcastle paid £6.7 million for Asprilla’s services.

After an enterprising debut away to Middlesbrough where he assisted both Newcastle goals in a 2-1 win, his first goal followed in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Manchester City. But Asprilla’s fiery side was also on full show as an incident with City defender Keith Curle led to a suspension before another flashpoint came with Keegan after a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Instead of listening to an angry tirade from his manager, Asprilla further incensed Keegan by opting to shower and quickly leave. In his defence, the Colombian stated it was futile listening to Keegan due to the language barrier however it was another sign that United had signed a wayward character.

With Newcastle’s lead evaporated and Manchester United now on top, the Magpies travelled to Anfield in a game that would go down in Premier League folklore. Asprilla played his part with a goal and an assist to give Newcastle a 3-2 lead, but a dramatic late turnaround saw Liverpool triumph 4-3 and leave the Toon’s title hopes in tatters. 

Ultimately, Newcastle and Asprilla were forced to settle for 2nd place and in the following campaign, the striker was reduced to a bit-part role as a rollercoaster season saw Keegan resign and replaced by Kenny Dalglish. Asprilla’s tally of nine goals was propped up by a run of five in six appearances in the UEFA Cup.

After a damaging summer in 1997 that saw Les Ferdinand and David Ginola leave, and Alan Shearer sustain a long-term injury, the stage was set for Asprilla to finally spearhead the attack. 

On an unforgettable September night at St James’ Park, Asprilla saved his best for the UEFA Champions League as his hat-trick vanquished Barcelona and left a lasting memory for the Geordie faithful.

Instead of kicking on, that would prove to be the final act of brilliance in the Newcastle black-and-white. By February 1998, Dalglish’s patience had snapped and Asprilla returned to Parma with fans left to ponder what could have been.

Although a meagre return of 18 goals from Asprilla for his two years on Tyneside lies in the record books, the sparkling moments he provided when on form endeared him to a generation of Newcastle supporters.