joined with particularly rave reviews: an England Under-21 international, he was a regular as George Burley’s Portman Road side finished fifth in the top flight on debut two seasons previous.

Pre-season started well: a tour of the Netherlands was enjoyed with 22 unanswered goals against vv Capelle, De Tubanters, GVVV Veenendaal and UDI ‘19 Beter Bed.

However, a 3-1 loss against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground – despite Viana’s first goal for the club on English soil – was disappointing, particularly because it ended any of Robson’s side’s momentum ahead of the preseason finale, on 7 August 2002: the visit of Barcelona to St. James’ Park.

Louis van Gaal’s Camp Nou outfit were by no means the force that they are today, having finished the 2001-02 La Liga season infourth, but they promised to provide a stern test of Newcastle’s mettle with a squad boasting talents including Carles Puyol, Gaizka Mendieta, Luis Enrique and Patrick Kluivert, amongst others.

A week before facing Zeljeznicar of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the third round of Champions League qualifying, the last thing Robson’s Magpies needed was a second defeat in the space of a week.

But, a defeat they got, and a resounding, thumping one at that.

A week after his 21st birthday, Bramble, in particular, was singled out for putting in a shocking performance. At best, his display quelled the spiralling, unrealistic expectations of him and the rest of the squad on Tyneside.

Both Bramble and Viana were greeted by the St. James’ faithful in the pouring rain before kick-off, but were both soon