Defenders currently on NUFC's payroll

Click for more Info:
Nolberto Solano | Clarence Acuna | Jermaine Jenas | Kieron Dyer | Gary Speed | Christian Bassedas | Diego Gavilan | Jamie McClen | Brian Kerr | Laurent Robert | Hugo Viana

Other Players:
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Strikers

Nolberto Solano ^top
Squad Number: 4
Date of Birth: 12th December 1974
Birthplace: Callao, Peru
Height: 5'8"
Date Signed and Fee: August 1998 for £2.76m
Debut game: 22th August 1998 v Chelsea (A)
Info: Once played alongside hero Diego Maradona at Boca Juniors before Kenny Dalgliesh snapped him up for £2.65m. One of Dalgliesh's better buys Nol Solano has become a firm favourite with his skillful and pacy runs down the right of midfield with an unparalleled final ball into the box. He is also a great goalscorer and dead ball expert. Ever present in a Newcastle and Peru line-up it would take some player to displace Solano from any first team.

Clarence Acuna ^top
Squad Number: 6
Date of Birth: 2nd February 1975
Birthplace: Rancagua, Chile
Height: 5'10”
Date Signed and Fee: 25 October 2000 for £1m
Debut game: 28th October 2000 v West Ham United (A)
Info: Nicknamed the 'Bull Dog' for his no nonsense play, Acuna never lets the team down and has proved to be an absolute bargain after Robson picked him up playing for local side Universidad de Chile for £1m. Clarence was once busted for doing Drugs and is a mainstay in the Chile national squad.

Jermaine Jenas ^top
Squad Number: 7
Date of Birth: 18th February 1983
Birthplace: Nottingham, England
Height: 5'10”
Date Signed and Fee: 4 February 2002 for £5m
Debut game: 9th February 2002 v Southampton (H)
Info: Jermaine was one of the hottest prospects in football when United offered a financial carrot of £5m to Notts Forest in February '02. After coming through the widely acclaimed Forrest Academy Jenas decided the chance of Premiership football was too good to miss and has thus far impressed at Newcastle. Is widely tiped to captain at both Club and Country levels.

Kieron Dyer ^top
Squad Number: 8
Date of Birth: 29th December 1978
Birthplace: Ipswich, England
Height: 5'8”
Date Signed and Fee: 16 July 1999 for £6m
Debut game: 7th August 1999 v Aston Villa (H)
Info: Whilst others wavered Gullit went straight in and made his only British singing when he bought Kieron Dyer from Ipswich Town for £6m. Being peppered with injuries hasn't helped his cause as he suffered from Shin Splints for many games. When fit however, party animal Kieron can really put the boot in to any team and become a matchwinner for the Toon.

Gary Speed ^top
Squad Number: 11
Date of Birth: 8th Spetember 1969
Birthplace: Deeside, Wales
Height: 5'10”
Date Signed and Fee: February 1998 for £5.5m
Debut game: 7th February v West Ham United (H)
Info: Experienced Speed has become an absolute essential part of the Newcastle team with his strong central midfield performances that no-one else can offer. Speed resurrected his footballing career after a £6.5m move from Everton and his commitment has never wavered, you hardly ever hear of Gary playing badly and his attitude is a credit to the game.

Christian Bassedas ^top
Squad Number: 17
Date of Birth: 16th February 1973
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height: 5’9”
Date Signed and Fee: 6th July 2000 for £3m
Debut game: 15 August 1999 v Southampton (A)
Info: Having become an experienced player in the South American set-up winning countless caps and medals Christian jumped at the chance to come to the hometown Club of his favourite Band ACDC from Valez Sarsfiled in a £3m deal. Unfortunately Bassedas has failed to hold down a regular place in the team which wasn't helped when he sustained an injury in his first month at the Club. When called upon he has done well, often being played out of position although his chances of a succesful career at Newcastle diminish with each new signing.

Diego Gavilan ^top
Squad Number: 21
Date of Birth: 1st March 1980
Birthplace: Asuncion, Argentina
Height: 5’10”
Date Signed and Fee: 4th January 2000 for £2m
Debut game: 5 March 2000 v Sunderland (A)
Info: Another big money South American purchase although we were promised Gavilan would be the new Nobby Solano. However a series of loan moves suggests Robson doesn't want Diego at the Club and may secretly wish someone would place a bid for him.

Jamie McClen ^top
Squad Number: 22
Date of Birth: 13th May 1979
Birthplace: Newcastle, England
Height: 5’8”
Date Signed and Fee: 1st July 1994, signed from trainee
Debut game: 5 April 1999 v Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Info: Home boy McClen has proved to be a useful addition to the squad since siging from trainee. Although his chances of ever making it to the top with Newcastle appear to have passed him by Jamie still refused a contract with a First Division Club in order to fight for a place at Newcastle and many respect him for it.

Brian Kerr ^top
Squad Number: 25
Date of Birth: 12th October 1981
Birthplace: Motherwell, Scotland
Height: 5’10”
Date Signed and Fee: 1st June 1997, signed from trainee
Debut game: 6 September 2000 v Coventry (A)
Info: Chose Newcastle over Rangers, Brian was one of the of the class acts in the youth team and will be hoping to get his chance on the big stage and follow in the footsteps of Shola Ameobi.

Laurent Robert ^top
Squad Number: 32
Date of Birth: 21st May 1975
Birthplace: Saint-Benoit, La Reunion
Height: 5’8”
Date Signed and Fee: August 2001 for £9.5m
Debut game: 19th August 2001 v Chelsea (A)
Info: Became Newcastle's second biggest and Robson's most important signing when he joined from French Club PSG for £9.5m. Was an overnight sensation in the Premiership and added that extra dimension to Newcastle's game, something we had been lacking since fellow Frenchman David Ginola left. In he season 01/02 he was rated as being a player with the most assists, a measure of how important he has been to the Magpies.

Hugo Viana ^top
Squad Number: 45
Date of Birth: 15th January 1983
Birthplace: Barcelos, Portugal
Height: 5'9"
Date Signed and Fee: July 2002 for £8.5m
Debut game: 14th August 2002 v NK Zeljeznicar (A)
Info: A special talent, Viana impressed his team mates with an amazing range of skills at the age of 18. Shortly after joining Newcastle for £8.5m in Summer '02 from Sporting Lisbon- a British Record for a teenager- he picked up the European Young Player of the Year award as voted by Seria A coaches. Is sure to be a hit on Tyneside and will form a backbone of Newcastle's new youthful looking squad.

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