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Replacing Scott Sellars in the team dubbed 'The Entertainers', David
Ginola was bought for £2,500,000 from Paris St Germain, in the summer
of 1995. A skilful left-winger, Ginola could go either outside his man,
or inside to shoot venomously with his right foot; his first goal came
in a similar vein when he scored at Sheffield Wednesday. Superb in his
first four months, defenders just couldn't stop Ginola, Manchester
City's Richard Edghill becoming the first of many sent off in the
attempt. Ginola was a catalyst for Newcastle, behind many of their
classic performances. Top of the Premiership in January 1996, Newcastle
visited Highbury in the League Cup and this, according to Kevin Keegan,
was the turning point in his season. Receiving little sympathy from
referee Gerald Ashby, after being persistently fouled throughout the
game, Ginola was sent off for elbowing Lee Dixon. He returned from
suspension a shadow of his former self, his blistering form returning
only sporadically. Ginola's dip coincided with Newcastle's slump,
famously finishing the season 2nd behind Manchester United.
The 1996/97
season saw the arrival of Alan Shearer, providing Newcastle with yet
more firepower. Yet once more, optimism turned to despair with the
disappointment of finishing 2nd. Bright notes for Ginola came in a 5-0
demolition of Manchester United and a 4-0 defeat of Ferencvaros. Against
Manchester United, 1-0 up, Ginola received the ball with his back to
goal, shrugging off Gary Neville he turned inside to drive the ball
right footed into the top corner, scoring his only league goal of the
season. In the UEFA Cup against Ferencvaros, Ginola scored the pick of
his Newcastle goals. The ball came to him on the edge of the area; he
took one touch to control it, one to loop it over an onrushing defender
and one more to volley it in to the net. After Christmas, however,
Keegan resigned and when replaced by Kenny Dalglish, it was widely
anticipated that Ginola's days at Newcastle were numbered. Claiming he
wanted to return to France, the end of the season saw Ginola
controversially join Tottenham Hotspur for £2m. (Gordon Tait)
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