Newcastle fans may be concerned for new signing Lewis Hall’s spell at St James’ Park, after the Chelsea loanee was given a shirt number that’s plagued its past wearers with misfortune
Lewis Hall’s Newcastle tenure is yet to even get underway – but fans at St James’ Park might already be fearing for his future.
Or, at the very least, the more superstitious may be concerned after the teenager’s shirt number for this season was revealed. Hall, 18, is the second Blues academy product to join Eddie Howe’s squad this summer, after the permanent signing of fellow full-back Tino Livramento from Southampton.
Newcastle supporters were ecstatic to sign such a highly regarded part of Mauricio Pochettino’s team, who broke into Chelsea’s senior ranks last season before making his England Under-21 debut earlier this summer. Hall is on loan in the northeast for the season, but he may make the move permanent next year for an initial fee of £28 million.
He’ll try to make an impression at left-back, vying with Dan Burn and Matt Targett, the latter of whom has been an unused substitute in both Newcastle games this season. And he’ll be wearing the No20, which has a ‘cursed’ reputation among those who have worn it in the twenty-first century.
Chris Wood, who cost the Magpies £25 million but only scored five goals in 39 appearances, is the most recent player to wear the digit at St James’ Park. Prior to that, a succession of French recruits wore the number at some stage, with the likes of Florian Lejeune, Yoan Gouffran, Florian Thauvin, and Remy Cabella all failing to contribute much worth.
Duncan Ferguson, Antoine Sibierski, Albert Luque, Leon Best, and Bjarni Gudjonsson are among those who have worn the insignia. Former club captain Geremi, who lasted three-and-a-half years on Tyneside and, like Hall, moved to St James’ from Stamford Bridge, was perhaps the last player to wear the No. 20 and depart with a favorable reputation.
