We have seen the report out in the last day or two saying that Shay Given could be coming back to Newcastle United.
Shay Given – the great goalkeeper while at Newcastle
But there is not truth in that rumor at all, it’s made up nonsense, and why would Newcastle ever want to take Shay Given back, after he left us in the relegation season?
And those players who left Newcastle in the summer following our relegation to the Championship will never return to Newcastle, and we say that because we’ve also seen talk about Oba Martins coming back – but that will hardly happen either.
After all, Oba was one of the most overpaid players ever to don a Newcastle shirt.
Newcastle currently have Steve Harper, Tim Krul and Fraser Forster as their three top goalkeepers, and they are hardly weak in that position.
While it could be true that Shay now regrets having left Newcastle for Manchester City, where he has been on the bench all season to young England International Joe Hart, there’s just no return for him to the Newcastle club.
That would be a bit of a slap in the face for Steve Harper for one thing, but Newcatsle have now moved on from their terrible relegation season, and are looking for new younger talent to bring in on Tyneside.
And Shay was on about £50K/week at Newcastle and he is now on aorund £100K a week at Man City – so do you really think Newcastle would be willing to pay those exorbitant wages? The answer is absolutely not.
There’s no doubt Shay was a wonderful goalkeeper at Newcastle for 12 seasons, and played over 462 first team games for the club, by our reckoning, and is probably the best goalkeeper Newcastle have ever had in their history.
Shay has a total of 547 first class appearances to his name and q09 International appearances for Ireland, and also played at Blackburn, Swindon Town, Sunderland and Manchester City, and he was signed by then Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish from Blackburn for £1.5M in the summer of 1997.
One of the best ever signings in Newcastle’s long history.
It may be a good story to put out there, but like a lot of good stories, there is not truth in it at all.
Picky picky.
Comments welcome.
31 comments so far
Toonkistan
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Comment #1Not required…next plss 🙂
sammydolan
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:15 AM
Comment #2Shay Given was my favourite player at Toon for a long long time saved us so many times over the years and yes I was sad to see him leave but understand he wanted to try and win something at Man City. But for him to think he can come back and jump straight into that place in the team is disgusting and how is Stevie Harper going to feel? I could of gone many times and it’s only because he is a decent man he’s stuck around to play for the club he loves and did amazing last season and very well this season.
We have Fraser and Tim and I dont think we need Shay Given.
Grass isn’t always greener Shay…
lou9brasil
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:19 AM
Comment #3I’d take oba back like a shot only if the price was right think he would be perfect for Big AC’s Flick ons
spitfire_
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:19 AM
Comment #4Hell no! He wants money and glory… Now go to Celtic!
sammydolan
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:21 AM
Comment #5my comments arent posting!
NUFC_Richyg01
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Comment #6NO.
News today that Sven wants to take Given to Leicester on loan.
@ lou9brasil // Jan 12, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I would NEVER have Oba back, far too lazy and sulky – we’ve got Strolla for that.
There is as much in the Given story as there is in the Wes Brown story. The Given story was started because the media jumped on AP saying he was unhappy with Krul’s kicking.
NUFC_Richyg01
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:24 AM
Comment #7@ sammydolan // Jan 12, 2011 at 11:21 AM
That one did!
Dont be swearing like, or they will be filtered out!
sirtoongospel
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:24 AM
Comment #8Shay not needed but was a great servant and no way to Oba, far too many games of not trying. We need another young and quality striker to play with Carroll for years to come.
NUFC_Richyg01
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:27 AM
Comment #9You’ve got to love the media.
They make up this Given story and then last night I was reading an article about Bellamy being beaten up and they had to have a dig at the toon by saying “the former Wales and Newcastle badboy” – why Newcastle, hes been all over since here, did we make him bad?
dublin mag steve
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Comment #10great keeper one of the best but i do remember when he left he said he “couldnt believe how disgusting newcastle behaved by holding up his transfer” all because we wanted to get the best pric possible for one of our prize assets and also said “i think newcastle owed me a bit better than this after all ive done for them” dont forget shay you were a reserve team goalkeeper at blackburn when kenny took you and made you number 1 seems like were not the only ones who owes some1 something and for the record now that your gone you are once again a reserve team goalkeeper of course we apreciated you but this is what happens in transfers you need to get the best money ou can for your prized assets theres nothing disgusting about it.
kevymartins
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Comment #11foo k him
we gave harps a chance to prove himself an he did..so no need for shay
he shud’nt of left worst choice of his life
shearermania
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Comment #12fools……if it wasnt for this legend we would have been playing fizzy pop footie years ago….
top class goalie and i take him back in a split sec.
harper, forster, krul couldnt tie his shoe lases
Magpies-till-d3ath
Jan 12, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Comment #13I’d take both back for the right price! Lets not forget that Oba’s time here was ruined by injuries but when he had his chance he took it so for that reason I’d take him back for about 6 or 7 million as Russian football is just not right for him AT ALL!
Angryman the Angry fan
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:06 PM
Comment #14Shearermania, please use spell check!!
As for your fizzy pop comment, WRONG. 1 man does not make a team.
I am going with the vast majority on this. He deserted a sinking ship for the Arabian Money.
No room for sentiment in this game young man!!
jwheelie12
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Comment #15it’s not Oba’s transfer fee, we pretty much made it back when we sold him to Wolfsburg and we could get him for even cheaper now.
But 90+k a week? No thanks
Spotlight Kid
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Comment #16Given has many of the same faults as Krull, but his strengths more than compensate so he lets fewer goals in. On form I prefer Harper to both.
Too many keepers presently, so sell leaky Krull for the right price as the future should be Fraser Forster with Harps as mentor.
shearermania
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Comment #17angryman…after a coupple of bottles of shiraz mixed with a tiny amount of viognier its hard to do spell check as it all seem a bit of a blur…
but given served us well for 12 years…tell me anyone whos been at the toon for 12 years at the moment apart from harper…..given Was a fantastic goalie for us – show some respect….did like the coment you called me a young man though
Brutooon
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:27 PM
Comment #18Oba would be a good addition to the current squad, he and Carroll would be great
Before Oba played alone up and sometimes on the wings
Angryman the Angry fan
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:44 PM
Comment #19Shearermania, see my comment “he deserted a sinking ship for the arabian money”.
He was very respectful of his doting supporters when he done that!!
No room for sentiment in this game laddy!! Or we may aswell ask Big Al to comeback, bobby lee, Sir les you know, players who never wanted to leave and would never have left no matter what!!
I think Big Al would probably have something to say about your synopsis of us being in the fizzy pop league if it wasnt for traitor shay!!!
Angryman the Angry fan
Jan 12, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Comment #20Given could have been at the toon for 50 years, but it still rankles that he deserted, feigned injury, for more money!!!
Can this be described as true loyalty!! Its a rhetorical question
Klatoon
Jan 12, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Comment #21at the end of 07/08 Oba ws brilliant playing alongside viduka and Owen,1 game tht cmes to mind is our 1-4 wn at white hart lane where th 3 of em were on fire. Now try imagining him playing with Carroll and Ben Arfa.
Phil K
Jan 12, 2011 at 1:32 PM
Comment #22Screw him
I’d prefer to have either Harper Krul or Forster
We don’t want any rats back that left the sinking ship
Phil K
Jan 12, 2011 at 1:34 PM
Comment #23He had 909 appearences for Ireland did he ?
You sure ?
shearer4pm
Jan 12, 2011 at 1:45 PM
Comment #24no way to oba. id take billy sharp from doncastor. young. huge potential. plays very well in a footballing team like doncastor and i think would fit in to our team well along side andy carroll, could poach the knockdowns…..plus on fifa 11 he grows to 88 😉
kevymartins
Jan 12, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Comment #25shearermania are you stupit…its not what shay given done for us..look what we done for him..we scouted him..we brought him in and gave him his chance..we made him a world class goalkeeper…an your saying we need to respect him…was he respecting us when we got relagated he was the first 1 out the door…ballockx ……Harper deserves it more….Harper wants to play for us…An at the min harper could teach Shay given a few things…..shay lost his spot to joe hart what age is he?? thats saying sometin
xXl NUFC lXx
Jan 12, 2011 at 2:45 PM
Comment #26I want martins back 🙂
Zangwill_Ho
Jan 12, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Comment #27pass it thx
he is a rubbish now!!!!!!!! I hate him~~~!!!
Thump
Jan 12, 2011 at 4:09 PM
Comment #28Given left in the January window because of Ashley, not because we were getting relegated.
kevymartins
Jan 12, 2011 at 4:51 PM
Comment #29so he betrayed us to man citeh
all are team spirit is from the championship nolan carroll the bull collo etc
leedodd
Jan 12, 2011 at 8:05 PM
Comment #30What a Load of old Rubbish Again !!!!! We are Linked With Everyone on the Planet !!!!!!!!!!!!! Breaking News Were Going to Sign Rodney Trotter and Trigger !!!!! Del trotter Is the New Assistant Manager !!!!!!!!! New Sponcership Deal with Boycey !!!!!!
baro
Jan 12, 2011 at 8:12 PM
Comment #31He11 NO! Shay given totally betrayed us. He faked a injury so he can go to Man City. Well he did do a very good job for us but the way he left us i would say get lost!