Clarence Acuna signed for Newcastle from Universidad de Chile in October 2000 for a snip £1m. Acuna has been capped over half a century times for Chile, and has also played against England in a 2-0 win for the South Americans at Wembley in 1998.

Acuna is the first Chilean to play for Toon since the Robledo brothers George and Ted in the 1940-50s. The midfielder won three Chilean Championships with Universidad, but was happy to join Newcastle when Sir Bobby Robson brought him into the Premier League.

In his first season in England, Acuna impressed the home fans with some fantastic displays in midfield. But he suffered an injury blow towards the end of 2000-01 when he missed the last two games with a tendinitis problem.

He came back though in 2001-02 but never cemented his place in midfield, and was added to the transfer list in June 2003, and unless injury problems in midfield get him a chance in the side, it looks as though Acuna will be forced to sit in the reserves unless he moves away from St James' Park.