Defenders currently on NUFC's payroll

Click for more Info:
Robbie Elliot | Andy O'Brien | Andy Griffen | Wayne Quinn | Elena Marcelino | Aaron Hughes | Titus Bramble | Steve Caldwell | Nikos Dabizas | Oliver Bernard | Gary Caldwell

Other Players:
Goalkeepers
Midfielders
Strikers

Robbie Elliot ^top
Squad Number: 3
Date of Birth: 25th December 1973
Birthplace: Gosforth, England
Height: 5’10”
Date Signed and Fee: 2nd July 2001 on a free transfer
Debut game: 12th March 1991 v Middlesbrough (A)
Info: Local lad Elliot first joined the Club as a trainee in 1989 and progreesed up to the first team as a left sided midfielder or his more favourable position as left back. He left to join Bolton Wanderers in the Summer of '97 where he was pepered with injuries before returning to Tyneside on a free transfer in July of 2001 to bolster Robson's defensive options.

Andy O'Brien ^top
Squad Number: 5
Date of Birth: 29th June 1979
Birthplace: Harrogate, England
Height: 6’2”
Date Signed and Fee: March 2001 for £1m
Debut game: 31st March 2001 v Bradford City (A)
Info: Highly Rated O'Brien joined the Toon for what now seems to be a bargain £2m. After making his debut against old Club Bradford he quickly put any doubts that Newcastle fans had about him to rest after salvaging a point away to rivals Sunderland. Has choosen to represent Eire in future Internationals after representing England at youth level.

Andy Griffen ^top
Squad Number: 12
Date of Birth: 7th March 1979
Birthplace: Billinge, England
Height: 5’10”
Date Signed and Fee: 30th January 1998 for £1.5m
Debut game: 7th February 1998 v West Ham United (H)
Info: Signed from Stoke City as a teenager in a £1.5m deal Griffen had a lot to prove but has showen he has what it takes after being deployed against Ryan Giggs and David Ginola to great effect. Found his path to the first team blocked by Irishman Aaron Hughes's rise to stardom. With his quick thinking, good tackling and versatality Griffen will prove a useful ally as Newcatle seek great things.

Wayne Quinn ^top
Squad Number: 14
Date of Birth: 19th November 1976
Birthplace: Truro, England
Height: 5’10”
Date Signed and Fee: 1st August 1999 for a fee of £800,000
Debut game: 15th August 1999 v Southampton (A)
Info: Joined from Sheffield Wednesday after impressing on a one month loan. Plays well against inferior opposition and has found life at a Premiership Club to hard to handle. Is a regular in the Reserves and unlikely to feature under Robson in a first team capacity.

Elena Marcelino ^top
Squad Number: 15
Date of Birth: 26th September 1971
Birthplace: Gijon, Spain
Height: 6’2”
Date Signed and Fee: 16th July 1999 for £5m
Debut game: 7th August 1999 v Aston Villa (H)
Info: Arrived from Real Mallorca with a massive reputation but was a big flop along with his manager Ruud Gullit. Being showered with minor injuries didn't help his cause and has cost United a ridiculous amount of money per games played. Will almost certainly leave under a Free transfer once his contract runds out and many fans will not be sorry to see him leave, only that we didn't at least re-coup some of the massive investment made in him.

Aaron Hughes ^top
Squad Number: 18
Date of Birth: 8th November 1979
Birthplace: Cookstown, Northern Ireland
Height: 6’1”
Date Signed and Fee: 1st July 1997, signed from trainee
Debut game: 15th August 1999 v Southampton (A)
Info: Played with class during his first game as an 18 year old against Barcelona in the Champions League among the imposing Nou Camp Stadium. Has since matured into perhaps one of the best defenders in the League. At the age of 21 he made 34 appearances for United suggesting great things were to quickly follow and was first choice in season 00/01 as one of the bright prospects in what was a rather dour defence. Is a full International having already captained the Irish and many tip him to follow this feat at Club Level. Will hopefully see out his career at Newcastle where his versatality will play a vital role if United are to make succesful forays in search of silverware.

Titus Bramble ^top
Squad Number: 19
Date of Birth: 21st July 1981
Birthplace: Ipswich, England
Height: 6’2”
Date Signed and Fee: 12th July 2002 for £6m
Debut game: 19th August 2002 v West Ham United (H)
Info: Tough tackling Bramble was a star in Ipswich's first season in the Premiership helping Robson's old team to a surprise 4th position. Their failure to back this up the follwing season (01/02) led to relegation and Town could not refuse United's £6m offer at a tiem of financial insecurities in the Football League. A first choice for the Club as an imposing Central Defender Bramble may well follow fellow ex-Ipswich and Newcastle team mate Dyer into the England first team.

Steve Caldwell ^top
Squad Number: 30
Date of Birth: 12th September 1980
Birthplace: Stirling, Scotland
Height: 6’3”
Date Signed and Fee: 1st June 1997, signed from trainee
Debut game: 30 September 2000 v Manchester City (A)
Info: Tall Steve and his brother joined United from the Youth set-up in 1997. Has already played for his country at both youth and full international levels and will provide Robson with a defensive headache selection after impressing in loan moves and in the Reserves.

Nikos Dabizas ^top
Squad Number: 34
Date of Birth: 3rd August 1973
Birthplace: Ptolemaida, Greece
Height: 6’1”
Date Signed and Fee: 13th March 1998 for £1.3m
Debut game: 14th March 1998 v Coventry (H)
Info: A solid centre back Nikos was a real bargain of £1.5m paid by then United boss Kenny Dalgliesh. In the season 00/01 Newcastle really missed his presence letting in a dreadful amount of goals and finishing 13th. Has already set a Club record for goals scored by a defender and will continue to earn his salt in the United first team with a never say die attitude.

Oliver Bernard ^top
Squad Number: 35
Date of Birth: 14th October 1979
Birthplace: Paris, France
Height: 5’9”
Date Signed and Fee: 26th October 2000 on a free transfer
Debut game: 21st July 2001 v Sporting Lokeren (H)
Info: Joined amid controversy in a contractural dispute with former Club Lyon which was almost repeatd when West Ham United tried to steal him from us, a case which United took to Court, and won. Was shipped out to Darlington in his first season where he really got to grips with the tough British football and admitted himself he learned a lot. His classy displays at left back and left midfield have impressed United fans who hope to see a lot more of him in the first team.

Gary Caldwell ^top
Squad Number: 35
Date of Birth: 12th April 1982
Birthplace: Stirling, Scotland
Height: 6’0”
Date Signed and Fee: 1st June 1998, signed from trainee
Debut game: N/A
Info: Similar to brother Steve who also plays for United, Gary plays in the heart of defence with an impressive array of passing skills and a great reader of the game. Has represented Scotland at youth and full international levels and has play consistenly well on loan spells at Clubs. Robson may have a hard job keeping him on United's books.

All Information contained in the Player Section is written by ToonInfo Historian David Laing and is copyright to idclo.