Was 'Cry Baby' Gary Caldwell Ever Good Enough For The Toon?

Last updated : 20 October 2011 By Footy Mad - Editor

JF

He was loaned out to Hibs by Sir Bobby Robson, played 11 games, and returned for a showdown with the Toon boss.

Robson said at the time: "He came knocking at my door in tears, begging me to let him sign for Hibs, saying he was homesick.

"In the end I was sick of the tears and let him go."

The Stirling-born Caldwell won a few tin-pot cups in the "Two-Club Chilly Jocko League", and went on to play for Scotland in their quest to qualify for the finals of a competition (failing, as always).

But the defender has never looked Premiership class, and I don't think he would ever have made the grade at St James' Park.

He certainly wouldn't get into the team today, with Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson fighting for two places,

He started his career at Celtic, but they cast him out.

At 16 he came to England, alongside his elder brother Steven at Newcastle United.

Breaking through from the reserves proved difficult, however, and in search of first team football, he went on loan to other clubs on several occasions: Darlington and Hibernian in 2001–02, then Coventry and Derby County the following season.

During the 2003–04 season, Caldwell was given a free transfer by Newcastle. He signed a short-term contract with Hibs for the second half of the season, and during this period he played in their defeat by Livingston in the 2004 League Cup Final.

After going on trial with Vitesse Arnhem in the summer of 2004, he signed a two-year contract with Hibs. During the 2005–06 season, rumours circulated that he had signed a pre-contract agreement to join Celtic in the summer of 2006.This prompted Hibs fans to jeer Caldwell when he made a mistake in a game against Aberdeen. After this, the deal was confirmed by Gordon Strachan.

During the 2009–10 season, Caldwell had a contract dispute with Celtic, claiming that the club were "kidding themselves" if they thought he would accept their offer.

New manager Tony Mowbray, who had also worked with Caldwell at Hibernian, responded by stating that he would not ask the board to increase the offer.

Wigan AthleticCaldwell eventually signed for Wigan Athletic on a four-and-a-half year contract for an undisclosed fee on 13 January 2010.

Saturday 22nd October 2011  

Wolverhampton Wanderers  v  Swansea City 12:45
Aston Villa  v  West Bromwich Albion 15:00
Bolton Wanderers  v  Sunderland 15:00
Newcastle United  v  Wigan Athletic 15:00
Liverpool  v  Norwich City 17:30 
 
Sunday 23rd October 2011  

Arsenal  v  Stoke City 13:30
Fulham  v  Everton 13:30
Manchester United  v  Manchester City 13:30
Blackburn Rovers  v  Tottenham Hotspur 15:00
Queens Park Rangers  v  Chelsea 16:00

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NEWCASTLE UNITED 20011/12

NU

PREMIER LEAGUE

NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 2 (Ba, Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson (Santon 77), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba (Ben Arfa 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Gosling, Marveaux.

WOLVES 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 90), Cabaye (Guthrie 89), Tiote, Gutierrez, Best, Ba (Lovenkrands 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi.

NEWCASTLE 3 BLACKBURN 1 (Ba 3)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Marveaux 84), Ba (Ben Arfa 74), Best.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch, Sammy Ameobi.

ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Best)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Sammy Ameobi 85), Best (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba (Marveaux 80).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch.

QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.

NEWCASTLE 2 FULHAM 1 (Best 2)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Lovenkrands (Ba 62), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Obertan, Best (Vuckic 78), Vuckic (Smith 85).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ferguson.

SUNDERLAND 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (R Taylor)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Williamson 85), Barton, Obertan (Gosling 85), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Lovenkrands, Ba, Best, Marveaux.

NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 0
Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Barton, Cabaye (Lovenkrands 81), Tiote, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 73), Ba (Obertan 46).
Subs Not Used: Forster, Williamson, Gosling, Sammy Ameobi.

CARLING CUP

NOTTINGHAM FOR. 3 NEWCASTLE 4 (AET) Lovenkrands 2, Simpson, Coloccini
Elliot, Simpson, Coloccini, Perch, Ferguson, Abeid, Guthrie, Gosling (Shola Ameobi 70), Marveaux, Ben Arfa (Sammy Ameobi 70), Lovenkrands (Obertan 80).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Best, Dummett, Henderson.

SCUNTHORPE 1 NEWCASTLE 2 AET (R Taylor, Sammy Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson (Steven Taylor 45), Ryan Taylor, Marveaux, Gosling (Vuckic 70), Cabaye, Lovenkrands, Best, Ba (Sammy Ameobi 65).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Abeid, Smith, Ferguson.

PRE-SEASON FIXTURES

NEWCASTLE 0 FIORENTINA 0
(Ab 63 mins)
Krul (Forster 46), Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gosling (Ba 46), Cabaye, Vuckic, Jonas (Marveaux 46) Lovenkrands (R Taylor 61), Best (Shola Ameobi 46).Subs: Sammy Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier, Williamson.

LEEDS UTD 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (S.Taylor, Vuckic)
Forster, Cabaye, Williamson, Barton, Simpson, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Taylor, Tavernier. Subs: Krul, Taylor, Best, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett.

COLUMBUS CREW 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Ameobi, Coloccini, Vuckic)
Harper; Tavernier, S Taylor, Coloccini (Dummett, 54), Enrique; Gutierrez (Abeid, 85), Tiote (Smith, 62), Gosling, Marveaux (Vuckic, 76); Ameobi (Best, 75), Ba. Subs not used: Forster, Krul.

ORLANDO CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Forster; R Taylor (Enrique, 26), S Taylor, Coloccini, Tavernier; Gosling (Vuckic, 71), Smith (Abeid, 74), Tiote, Gutierrez; Best (Ba, 74), Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 74). Subs not used: Krul, Harper.

SPORTING KANSAS 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Gosling, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor, Marveaux (Tavernier 46), Tiote (Abeid 46), Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Ba (Best 72), Lovenkrands (Smith 46).

DARLINGTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Barton, Sammy Ameobi)
Forster; Simpson (Dummett), S Taylor (Tavernier), Williamson (Henderson), Ferguson (R Taylor); Barton (Abeid), Guthrie (Cabaye, Donaldson), Smith (Gosling), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi); Ben Arfa (Richardson), Best (Ranger). Subs not used: Soderberg, Newton.