Nobody would have been more upset when Sam Allardyce was bundled out of St James' than Faye, who had followed him north from Bolton
Having managed him at Bolton for two years, Sam Allardyce knew what he was getting when he signed Faye on the last day of the summer 2007 transfer window: a tall, athletic competitor who can wreak havoc on the opposition in all parts of the field.
On his Bolton debut he played in central defence and strong-armed Alan Shearer out of the game; he later displayed an aptitude for playing as the “destroyer” in defensive midfield; and any team defending a set-piece – even Manchester United, against whom he scored his first Newcastle goal – is bound to notice the 6ft 2in Senegalese rumbling into their penalty area.