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Marc Hottiger spent less than two full seasons at Newcastle but was a
popular figure with the fans, making 54 appearances for the club, and
scoring two goals. Hottiger's most memorable game came at Ewood Park,
his twenty-five yard screamer helping Newcastle knock out league
champions-elect Blackburn in an FA Cup third round replay in January
1995. Hottiger had signed for Newcastle after a fine showing in the 1994
World Cup, Switzerland making it through the group stage before losing
out to Spain in the second round, with Kevin Keegan suitably impressed
by the raiding right back to splash out half a million to secure his
signature. The United defence had been criticised the season before, and
fellow World Cup star Philippe Albert also joined the club a month
later. Both new signings played a full part as Newcastle started the
season in electric form, winning 9 and drawing 2 of their first 11
league games - and scoring 32 goals in the process - to top the table at
the end of October.
Among the highlights were a triumphant return to
European football as Newcastle crushed Royal Antwerp 10-2 on aggregate
in the UEFA Cup, and a four-goal hammering of Coventry City in
Hottiger's first game at St James' Park. Unfortunately, the team's form
suffered from November onwards, and despite a run to the quarter-finals
of the FA Cup, they finished a disappointing sixth in the league. Keegan
continued to spend money the following summer, and among the new
arrivals was £4m Warren Barton: at the time an English record fee for a
defender. With Barton ensconced as first choice right-back Hottiger
found his first team opportunities very limited, and he was sold to
Everton for £750,000 in March 1996. Marc's final game in a black and
white shirt was a cameo substitute's appearance in a 6-1 hammering of
Wimbledon on 21st October. Hottiger found it tough to make an impact at
Everton and after just seventeen league games for the Toffees he was
eventually sold back to former club Lausanne for only £25,000. (Martin Rowntree)
Between 1989 and 1996 Marc played 63 games for Switzerland (5 goals)
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