Nol again?

With over half of the transfer window already expired, Newcastle are rumoured to be considering copying Arsenal's current cunning plan: namely, re-sign a player who was once brilliant, but who it is now suspected may be somewhat past their prime.

Whilst Arsene Wenger has restored alleged one-time Toon target Sol Campbell to the Arsenal dressing room, everyone's favourite trumpet-playing Peruvian love rat Nobby Solano is back in Newcastle training with the team. Notionally this is intended to keep Nobby's fitness levels up whilst he looks for one final pay day, but given our recent disappointments in the transfer window (and the fact that Danny Simpson is reportedly due to return to Old Trafford after tonight's game) it is perhaps telling that the Times is reporting that Nobby has so far impressed the coaches with his "fitness and quality".

I must confess that Nobby is one of those Newcastle players who I continue to hold in high regard, and one of a very select band who I was absolutely gutted when he left us for another club (at least I was the first time round).

Presumably Nobby's family situation has now changed to the point where he might consider a further bout of Tyneside-based trumpeting.

If he is now to join us for a third time (chances are he'll be at least as much use as Fabrice Pancrate seems to be and far less likely to cut inside than Danny Guthrie) then I'll be happy enough, but worry that it won't be so much third time lucky as an opportunity to watch a player whose star is now very much on the wane, and that the love affair won't be so sweet this time round.