Newcastle United's efforts from a transfer perspective have not been the most auspicious over the years, though all that has changed with the new, affluent ownership and the prosperous appointment of Eddie Howe in the managerial position.
For too long this proud and prestigious Premier League outfit languished beneath expectations but with Champions League football being clinched with a fourth-placed finish last term, a two-decade wait has been ended and the club now looks poised for lasting success in and around Europe's elite club competition.
Since previously gracing the Champions League, Newcastle have suffered two relegations and endured an interminable wait for Mike Ashley's hold on the club to end, but during this dreary period in their history, there have been undoubted bright sparks to tantalise a brighter future that has now arrived on Tyneside.
One of the key cogs from this time is former club captain Fabricio Coloccini, who spent the lion's share of his professional career starring for the St. James' Park side and has now etched cult hero status into his name.
How much did Newcastle sign Fabricio Coloccini for?
In 2008, Newcastle completed the signing of Argentine defender Coloccini from Spanish side Deportivo de La Coruna, joining for a fee believed to be in the region of £10m.
A tough, uncompromising defender and a galvanising leader, Coloccini's arrival was an exciting moment for the Magpies as they looked to return to the Champions League after four years away, but after a dismal year with legend Alan Shearer at the helm, the Toon crashed out of the English top-flight after finishing 18th, leading many to believe that the new recruit would seek a way out.
His addition came to the great relief of manager Kevin Keegan, who was struggling to effectively bolster his squad with new players, with Ashley having previously admitted that Newcastle owed £27m in unpaid transfer fees.
It might have been a deal that the egregious previous club owner rued due to the financial implications, but he proved to be a first-rate presence at the back for many, many years, instrumental over the years in aiding the club against its battles.
How good was Fabricio Coloccini?
Once dubbed "Mr. Reliable" by former boss Joe Kinnear, Coloccini made 275 appearances for the Toon, including 211 in the Premier League, where he kept an impressive 51 clean sheets.
A robust and reliable sweeper, the 41-year-old averaged a whopping 4.4 clearances and 1.9 interceptions per match across the duration of his career, as per WhoScored, proving his worth and then some as he kept United resolute at the back and even starred as the club clinched qualification to the Europa League in 2011/12 with a fifth-placed finish, securing a place above the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Passing
Tackling
Blocking
Aerial duels
Short passing
Composure
The 6-foot titan earned a place in the Premier League Team of the Year for his displays that year, with Bleacher Report writing that the captain 'led by example' and impressed with his top-class distribution.'
He has rightfully cemented stalwart status, with his qualities important in fighting at both ends of the table during his lengthy Newcastle career, with Alan Pardew proclaiming that he was reminiscent of Bobby Moore and hailing him as "phenomenal".
While Coloccini is remembered in an endearing light, his career on Tyneside was dented by Ashley's tyrannical rule, which really was detrimental to the efforts to sustain a spot within the upper echelon of the Premier League pack.
Four years after the South American's acquisition, Newcastle had the opportunity to provide him with the perfect partner, a man who actually eclipsed Coloccini's Premier League career, but it wasn't to be, and Jan Vertonghen never graced the St. James' Park pitch clad in black and white.
Did Newcastle nearly sign Jan Vertonghen?
According to the Telegraph's Luke Edwards in 2012, Newcastle were among the wealth of top Premier League outfits interested in a move for Belgian centre-half Vertonghen, with a growing belief that their drive for European endeavours could entice the player to join the project.
Newcastle failed to finish fourth and instead landed a place in the Europa League, with Tottenham Hotspur finishing a spot above Pardew's side and winning the race for the Ajax Amsterdam star, who completed an astute move to north London for around £10m.
As it happened, Chelsea triumphed against Bayern Munich in the most remarkable Champions League final despite finishing sixth in the league, meaning they cruelly snatched a spot in the following edition at Spurs' expense.
Exacerbating the failure to land the coveted target, it was revealed that Ashley was the cause after declining to match Tottenham's bid, further alienating himself from a fanbase desperate for success.
The 36-year-old would cement his stature as a "Tottenham legend" – according to journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke – and was indeed one of the standout defenders in English football when at his peak, even attracting interest from Barcelona in 2014, when La Blaugrana were really at their zenith.
As per WhoScored, the 150-cap veteran has completed 86.5% of his passes across the duration of his career, making 4.7 clearances, 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game, described as a "dominant centre-half" by The Times' Henry Winter.
He starred at the centre for some of the best times in Spurs' modern history, and the left-footed defender reached such a level that he probably would have performed for Newcastle at a better standard than Coloccini.
Had Vertonghen plied his trade at Newcastle he could have forged a devastating defensive bond with Coloccini and prevented a plummet from restored fortunes and indeed another fall into the second tier.
But alas, he joined Tottenham and instead aided the Lilywhites in a fruitful period in their history, regularly securing Champions League football, though he did fail to win any silverware across his 313 outings for the side.
Newcastle might be enjoying the newfound success under Howe's stewardship now, but if a bit more ambition had been shown in the past and players of Vertonghen's ilk had been acquired, then the gloomy past might have reaped far greater reward.