Miguel Almiron wouldn’t be anywhere without Neil Stoker. Newcastle United’s Paraguayan forward hadn’t scored more than four goals in a single Premier League season before 2022-23. Away at Spurs in October, Almiron struck his sixth of the campaign to seal a 2-1 victory. In doing so, however, he split his left boot down the middle from the laces to the toe. He went straight to Stoker – part of the club furniture for 33 years as a steward first and since 2000 as the kit man – desperate to extend the life of his wheels and his own stunning form.
“My lucky football boots had opened up like a sandwich,” Almiron tells FFT, drawing an invisible line down his foot. He still sounds a little distressed even now, sat opposite us in mid-January at the club’s mid-upgrade Darsley Park training ground.
“I told Neily that he had to do something because I’d scored again! He’s a genius – somehow he stuck it back together with glue and they’re still going strong. I just hope they’ll last me the season. Then I’ll sign them and give them to him as a present.”
The following day, Stoker’s temporary handiwork shone again. Picking up the ball just inside the Leicester half, 71 minutes into Newcastle’s League Cup quarter-final, Almiron sped forward and slid a delicious through-ball inside Marc Albrighton to set up Joelinton, who cemented the Magpies’ first cup semi-final berth since 2004-05.
That Newcastle have also spent much of the league campaign in the Champions League places is down to Almiron’s bravura performances. The winger scored nine goals in his first 16 Premier League games of the season, with a staggering volley against Fulham in October starting a run of seven in as many games, which also delivered Goal
