Faustino Asprilla

Faustino Asprillo, 'Tino' as the fans call him or 'Rubber Legs' as my Dad used to call him only spent two years in English football but had a profound impact. Sought out as the final piece of the jigsaw that would help Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United team lift the Premiership title, Asprilla was purchased for £6,700,000 from Parma. Quite a fee for the time! Asprilla made an instant impact, coming on at half time during a league game against Middlesbrough. He bamboozled a Boro defender before crossing the ball over for a goal to help Newcastle equalise. Asprilla kept at it and although inconsistent had some great goals during his time at Newcastle, though sadly his goals in the league totalled only 9 in 48 games.
Asprilla kept his best form for European competitions. In the 3rd round of the UEFA Cup Asprilla scored a goal and when celebrating lofted his shirt up on the corner flag. Unfortunately this got him suspended from the Quarter Final 1st leg defeat against Monaco. Of course the moment he is most famous for came during Newcastle's first foray into the Champions League. Asprilla became something of a cult hero on Tyneside through his hat-trick against the mighty Barcelona during a 3-2 victory at St. James' Park. Tino scored a penalty and then two headers which were assisted by an inspired Keith Gillespie. Soon after Tino was sold back to Parma in a £6,000,000 deal during a time when Newcastle were struggling under Kenny Dalglish in the league.

There were interesting rumours flying around later in 2002 that 'Tino' was to return to English football to sign for Darlington in the English 3rd Division but sadly nothing came to fruition. It would have been good to see old 'rubber legs' terrorising English defences again.


Picture from - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/1127511.stm