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Shay Given (now retired)


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13 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Did he say that it had anything to do with Ashley? We were shit obviously, I just assumed that was the reason. 

 

“A general feeling of absolute despair… We were a comedy club… I’d become tired of fighting for the team… It was an embarrassment, a disgrace… There had to be more to life than this, getting battered every week… In my eyes, nobody gave a fuck… It felt like I cared more than anybody else… The club (played) bullshit politics behind my back, claiming it was all me… I was hurting at the time and, to be honest, I’m still mad… I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye.”

The words Given uses now, when he sits down with The Athletic at the back of the Brewhouse, both of us reeling from the heat which touches 91F (32C), are equally laden with feeling.

“I left the club and hadn’t been back and it feels like part of you is missing because that was such a long time,” Given says. He pauses and repeats himself. “Part of what I’d done in my life was missing because it felt like the door had closed. Now it feels like it’s open again.”

Kinnear went public to say Newcastle had “bent over backwards to try and keep” Given, who knew that was a contortion of reality. He was told he could not leave unless he submitted a transfer request, waiving 10 per cent of the £6million fee ($7.7m at today’s exchange rate) City paid for him. It was petty, penny-pinching and, in any case, no player with ambition could truthfully claim Newcastle were trying any more. Loving the club was agony back then and the agony lingered.

There was no farewell. No appreciation. He was a Newcastle man, via Lifford in County Donegal, but Newcastle was lost to him.

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2 minutes ago, Hovagod said:

Well, surely if he wants to leave, submitting a transfer request is fair enough? Isn’t that the entire point of a transfer request?

 

It was the petty cuntery of the insistence that he submit the request. It gave them ammunition in the PR game and denied him a financial bonus he was more than worth after such sensational, loyal service. They could've just let him leave but their style was to treat club legends with utter disdain whilst they destroyed the place from the inside. 

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29 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

It was the petty cuntery of the insistence that he submit the request. It gave them ammunition in the PR game and denied him a financial bonus he was more than worth after such sensational, loyal service. They could've just let him leave but their style was to treat club legends with utter disdain whilst they destroyed the place from the inside. 

 

Good on the Chronicle et al. for playing along with them, mind.

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30 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

It was the petty cuntery of the insistence that he submit the request. It gave them ammunition in the PR game and denied him a financial bonus he was more than worth after such sensational, loyal service. They could've just let him leave but their style was to treat club legends with utter disdain whilst they destroyed the place from the inside. 

Yeah it was cuntery. He could've just done it then went public about it all after leaving.

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14 hours ago, SiLvOR said:

So good seeing him part of the fold again. Gutting that he didn't get a testimonial, but sounds like he's having a class time in the US interacting with the fanbase etc

I’ve been a bit baffled at how he’s been wearing our coaching merchandise, hanging around with our back room staff etc when he’s part of the back room staff at Man City.

Ok go to the USA and do a couple of book signings and fan events, but what he’s done seems a bit more involved, and Man City will obviously be well into their pre-season.

It just seems a bizarre situation.

 

 

Edited by Stifler

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I'm really glad Given's back in with us. I never blamed him for leaving and hated to see that people did. He's one of our all time top 'capped' players and a great one at that, he deserves the love and to be involved with good times.

 

 

(I don't think it's right that he's at Man City)

 

 

Edited by Superior Acuña

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22 hours ago, Dan Gleebals said:

Great he is back in the fold, although not really sure in what capacity!  Having people like him around can only be a good thing IMO. 

Yep - get keegan and shearer involved on some capacity as well ?

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