Andy
Cole

Rejected as a youngster by Arsenal Andy Cole, the PFA Young Player of the Year in 1994, has continued to prove the Gunners wrong with every goal he scores, breaking record after record at Newcastle, after signing from Bristol City in a �1.75 million deal.

His move from Newcastle sent shockwaves through the club and ruined any chances they had of challenging for the title in 1994-95 or even qualifying for Europe.

Kevin Keegan certainly took a big gamble in off-loading Cole but it seemed he didn't fit into the new Geordie dream rather than him being an inadequate player.

No-one could deny his goalscoring record while at St James's Park - 68 goals in 83 matches speaks for itself and he is feared by defenders at every Premiership club.

Blackburn's Colin Hendry says: "Andy is one of the most difficult strikers to play against. He is quick and instinctive around the box."

Arsenal's Tony Adams adds: "He never got a chance at Arsenal because we were so well off for strikers, but Andy gave us strength to show he had something about him. The biggest compliment I can pay him is to say he is in a similar mould to Gary Lineker."

A product of the FA School of Excellence, Cole hasn't had things all his own way since making his debut for Arsenal against Sheffield United in December 1990, aged 19.

He has unable to get a first team start at Highbury and after a loan spell with Fulham took the chance of a drop in standard to move to Bristol City, who paid a hefty �500,000 for a reserve team player.

But he repaid the Robins with 25 goals in 49 matches and he was soon on his way to Newcastle where his partnership with Peter Beardsley will go down in history as one of the best England has seen.

An England debut duly followed after a country-wide outcry and he almost got on the scoresheet in his first game against Uruguay, only the crossbar prevented him completing a dream start.

He followed countless other big name strikers, who've failed into Old Trafford, but quickly established him, even without the man designed to be his foil, Eric Cantona to hit 14 goals in his first 28 games for United, including five in the 9-0 rout of Ipswich in February 1995.

Apart from the Ipswich quintet he did find it hard to settle at United, many critics forgetting the absence of Cantona and the fact that Cole was settling into a team with more teenagers than thirtysomethings.

Arsenal hitman Ian Wright is a fan of Cole and he should know what makes a striker tick. He said: "He's up there with likes of Law and Best in my opinion.

"He can do for United what they did for the club in terms of goals. He certainly has what it takes.

"Andy is a goalscorer. If you give him chances he will score. And in the United team he will get those chances."

Andy Cole, despite winning the League and Cup double with United, did not enjoy the most successful of seasons in 1995-96. He only managed 13 goals in all competitions and could face a future away from Old Trafford.