Gazza

I idolised him. Was obsessed when he was at Newcastle. Happiest day of my life when he choose us over Manchester United. World Cup Italia. The FA Cup run of '91 (I didn't miss a game). He single-handedly dragged us to the final (probably saving the club itself in a roundabout way during our season of financial meltdown) before imploding at Wembley. That was some year of emotion.

Daft as a brush, erratic and a fruitloop he was never quite the same player after he left us for Italy, always struggling with injuries and his choice of transfer destinations. I prefer to remember his time in Lilywhite. Wasn't long but was certainly magical.

Happy belated birthday (it was yesterday, shame on me for missing it).

I'm pulling an all-nighter (baby is basically redefining the art of tantrums and is refusing to sleep), hence the random filler blog article. With thanks to Nelto on GG otherwise I would have missed Paul's 44th completely, rather than by a day.