Shola has been at the club a lot of years, but he has never convinced the Toon Army he is the sort of striker the club can build on.
Sir Bobby Robson once said at a 'talk in' that the Geordie boy would never be regarded in the same breath as the likes of Sir Les, Supermac, Shearer, or a host of others who have graced the black and white shirt.
The problem is Big Sam sees him as a target man, someone for Owen to feed off, but he simply isn't up to that task.
With Newcastle already boasting hitmen like Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins and Alan Smith (if needed), Shola looks to have blown his chance.
The problem is Big Sam sees him as a target man, someone for Owen to feed off, but he simply isn't up to that task.
With Newcastle already boasting hitmen like Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins and Alan Smith (if needed), Shola looks to have blown his chance.
Newcastle welcome the Hammers having surrendered their unbeaten start to the season in a poor display at Pride Park.
The club's fans have since made their feelings known with Ameobi, who started his first league game of the season, coming in for particular criticism.
Allardyce, however, was quick to leap to the 25-year-old's defence.
Allardyce: "I don't know why just him because he was no worse than a lot of the others. I don't know why he was singled out for it.
"It's a shame because he could have turned that into being the hero if he had put in the chance he had.
"Like everybody else, it is down to the service sometimes and your other team-mates clicking all together and unfortunately, too many of us did not click on the night.
"It's a little unfair to point all the criticism at him when there was a lot of players on the pitch that night below their best."