IT was so audacious, it was simply unbelievable.

Colourful was a word which followed Tino Asprilla around the world, from his native Colombia, where he was arrested for a firearms offence, and to Italy, where he wrote off four sports cars.

His languid style at Newcastle was a source of wonder and frustration. But his breath-taking brilliance, especially his hat-trick against Barcelona, gave Tino legendary status at St James' Park.

The first tentative approaches to bring Asprilla to Feethams were made seven weeks ago, as soon as the bid to sign that other Tyneside legend, Paul Gascoigne, collapsed.

Contact was finally made when Asprilla returned to his old club Newcastle earlier this month for a pre-season friendly against Barcelona.

It sparked a month of negotiations which erupted into a huge national story.

Incredulity turned into a belief that something was about to happen when the South American star was unveiled at George Reynolds' mansion on Monday. He was then paraded in front of the Feethams fans on Tuesday, and finally received the vital work permit after an impassioned appeal by the club's owner on Wednesday.

The beginning of the end came on Thursday when I received a message on my mobile phone at about 4pm simply saying "ring George".

I called straight away and knew instantly that something was wrong. Not one to mince his words, Reynolds revealed he had a feeling that things were going "badly pear-shaped".

He described how Asprilla had failed to turn up for a 9.30am medical and had arrived for a re-arranged examination at 2.30pm, with a new South American advisor.

Despite being told to bring his passport, the player said he had left the document in a bag at a Newcastle restaurant.

As arrangements were being made for it to be sent down, Tino's advisor dropped the first bombshell, telling Reynolds that Asprilla wanted the financial package to be doubled.

The deal which had been struck with Asprilla already ensured that he would be earning tens of thousands of pounds a year, as well as 20 per cent of gate takings for crowds over 4,000, free accommodation for himself and his girlfriend, a free flat for his driver as well as normal bonuses, and a top of the range taxed and insured car.

Once in the new stadium, it would mean Asprilla could earn in excess of £17,000 a week and Reyholds told his negotiator, in no uncertain terms, that a pay increase was out of the question.

Asprilla stormed out of the office and paced up and down the stadium car park, only returning when Reynolds made a new offer giving him a greater share of the gate receipts.

The improved deal was still not enough for Tino and he left the stadium to return to the Whickham home of his best friend, Osmiro Colonia and his wife Dee.

Later in the evening, however, Reynolds spoke to Dee Colonia asking her to inform Asprilla that he intended to "go public with his unreasonable demands".

At 7pm, Reynolds got in touch with The Northern Echo, informing us that negotiations were back on and that Asprilla had agreed to meet him at 10am on Friday.

Reynolds received yet another call at his home just after midnight warning him that Asprilla had contacted a club in the Middle East and was holding pay talks. Despite the warning, Reynolds agreed to go ahead with the 10am meeting and invited The Northern Echo to attend.

As the minutes ticked by, the feeling grew that something was wrong.

With Asprilla 30 minutes late for the meeting, Reynolds telephoned the Colonias to be told that Osmiro had taken Tino to Newcastle Airport for the 6.45am flight to Gatwick.

Suddenly everything seemed such a far cry from the heady days of last weekend when Tino and his girlfriend were shown around the luxurious lodge which would be their future home at Reynolds' mansion at Witton-le-Wear.

Yesterday even Asprilla's close friends were struggling to defend their Colombian house guest.

Mrs Colonia said: "We were looking forward to Tino living here for the next couple of years and we are very, very sorry for George and the club that they have been let down like this.''

She added: "Tino did have a message for the fans. He said he was sorry and hoped that they would forgive him.''

But it seems likely to be a long time before Darlington fans are able to forgive the latest colourful episode in the history of Tino Asprilla.