Francisco Ernami Lima de Silva.

Anybody remember Mira? Ever see him play? Quite a character on and off the field. Quite liked him myself.

He's turned 54 today, would have thought he was maybe a little bit older.

1959 Francisco Ernami Lima de Silva born, Fortaleza, Brazil. (1987-90)

Known to all and sundry as Mirandinha, United paid Palmeiras £575,000 for their striker in August 1987 - who became the first Brazilian to appear in English football.

Mira had played for Brazil during their tour of the UK earlier that year, with Magpies boss Willie McFaul watching him against Scotland and England - and seeing him score against the latter at Wembley.

Paraded on the SJP pitch before the first home game of the season, the prospect of his debut attracted thousands of toon fans to Norwich on a midweek evening - quite why they wore sombreros though has never been adequately explained....

Mira's first goals for the club came in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford and he finished that first season as second-top scorer with 12 in all competitions; one behind Michael O'Neill.

However the injury niggles that dogged him continued into the next season and his penalty conversion and celebration in front of the Kop in a rare Anfield victory wasn't enough to keep McFaul in a job.

Openly criticised by incoming manager Jim Smith, a belated resurgence in March 1989 saw Mira score in three successive games, but relegation still followed that season.

What proved to be his final outing for the club came as a substitute at SJP against Luton Town in late April - when he was unable to break the deadlock in a 0-0 draw that was enough to confirm our demotion.

Appearing among fans in the Milburn Stand during the final home game of that season against Millwall, Mira was warmly applauded and distracted many from seeing a fine goal from John Anderson fly into the net.

Sending word from Brazil that he wouldn't be returning to SJP despite having a year left on his contract, Mira rejoined Palmeiras on a loan deal which became a free transfer deal the following year.

Later moves then saw him join Belenenses (Portugal), Corinthians (Brazil), Fortaleza (Brazil) Shimizu S Pulse (Japan), Bellmare Hiratsuka (Japan) and finally Fortaleza in Brazil, where he finally retired in 1995.

Trying his luck as a coach in Brazil with CENE and Rio Negra, Mira also took charge of the Al-Ahly side in Egypt for a time and coached in Saudi Arabia and at the Kedah FA club in Malaysia.

2009 then saw him back in Brazil, taking over as the coach of Fortaleza - and telling journalists that he was scouting for his old club at the request of Dennis Wise.

He subsequently became stadium manager of the Arena Castelao in that city, one of the venues for the 2014 World Cup.

As the terrace song of the era had it, he wasn't from Argentina - but he wasn't f***in' brill either.

One of the greediest players to wear our colours, his continual pouting and the filthy looks he engendered from alleged strike partner Paul Goddard were often worth the admission fee alone.

Moments of high comedy on and off the pitch also followed as a result of Mira's relationship with team mate Gazza, with the pair once coming to blows in mid-match.

Gazza also "helped" the Brazilian to expand his English vocabulary, resulting in many situations when Mira would innocently unleash a stream of obscenities at fans, journalists and local residents alike...

And players of that era recall going to his house for a party on a sunny day, only to find the host wrapped in warm clothing and with his central heating turned up to max!

However, his greatest moment was probably after the final whistle sounded on a 1-3 home defeat by Wimbledon, when he snuck up behind Wombles 'keeper Dave Beasant, kicked him up the arse and then ran off.

And if anyone ever gets the chance to snatch a few words with Jim Smith, ask him about Mira and the £17k loan for the pig farm....then stand well back and watch that vein on his head start pumping furiously.

He must have loved him deep down though - bringing Mira's son Ernandes da Silva (also a striker) to Fratton Park on trial while Pompey assistant boss in November 2002.

Interviewed later, Mira claimed that he'd turned down the chance of a return to SJP when Kevin Keegan took over in 1992 - a decision he subsequently regretted.

"When I look back at my career, Newcastle was my best experience."

 

Sounds Familiar.
Maybe he was JK's mentor.

I liked Mira, it was just a shame it went it bad in the second season.
That was a crap team, 4 new players in the summer and we ended up getting relegated.

Mira will always provide good memories.

 

However, his greatest moment was probably after the final whistle sounded on a 1-3 home defeat by Wimbledon, when he snuck up behind Wombles 'keeper Dave Beasant, kicked him up the arse and then ran off.

he actually dropped kicked him from behind as the final whistle went

I was standing at the Gallowgate End at the time and it happened just in front of us
Beasent then chased him round the pitch but there was no way he was going to catch him

 

Great memories.

 

at the time he was the fastest player I had seen since Supermac

 

and there's a thread starter,

who was the fastest player you have seen at St. James
or the slowest (we've had a few)

 

Wor Jackie. JET.

 

who was the fastest player you have seen at St. James
or the slowest (we've had a few)

I didn't know you were that old ............

 

See the DVD's on the coaches to the away games.

Neg rep by the way!

 

I loved the little fella.
He was my favourite player as a bairn.

 

Plenty of talent. Certainly no Fumaca Lived in Bedlington for about a month on arrival did Mira (Beaufront Park). Had to leave as every day say hundreds standing outside his door unwilling to leave him alone. Kevin Carr lived up The Wynding in Bedlington too around 85. A mate of mine got some gloves off him. Think he ended up a copper?

 

Frank Clarke was the quickest player I've seen play for Newcastle.

 

Bellers was awfully quick.

The slowest would have to be Geremi.

 

The fastest has to be SUPERMAC for me.
I was only ten when I first saw him at SJP

What more could you want Speed, Power, and GOALS.
LEGEND.


[video=youtube;vMMCar7oYYM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMMCar7oYYM[/video]


Goal from Mira

[video=youtube;tP4cj3Jzq_E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP4cj3Jzq_E[/video]

 

Frank Clarke was the most arrogant of all the players I've ever met.

 

That may well be, however it didn't slow him down...

 

I went to that friendly against brasil was working in larndin town at the time didn't realize I was watching our big signing oh happy days of the pirate n mckeage

 

He wasn't known for his speed.

 

It was his left foot that I remember most, and his goals, all two of them

You can catch one of them in this video.
NUFC v Birmingham starts at 4.36 and Frank scores the second with his trusty left foot.
John Tudor gets the other goals with a young Trevor Francis scoring for Birmingham.


[video=youtube;EWPN-p21ruc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWPN-p21ruc[/video]

 

Thought Beresford was a much better player.