Back in 2012 - just three years after being relegated from the Premier League - Newcastle finished fifth in the top flight to secure a return to European football.
It was a seismic achievement for the club who had been floundering under owner Mike Ashley for years, but backing it up was always going to be a challenge with such a thin squad.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew needed to dip into the transfer market to bolster his team, and with the help of chief scout Graham Carr - father of comedian Alan Carr - Newcastle opted for a French Revolution.