Newcastle United full-back Matt Targett has spoken about why the players stayed on the pitch so long after the final whistle on Saturday despite the huge defeat.
Newcastle fans come in for a lot of stick on social media from fans of other clubs for the post-win dressing room photos and the players doing a “lap of honour” after every game.. To be honest, I’d take that stick every week because of what those things mean to the fans. The connection between players and fans on Tyneside is huge.
After so many years of disconnect between the club and the fans, we finally have owners, a manager and players who care and there’s a mutual appreciation from all corners of the club. That’s why, despite a painful drubbing at Aston Villa on Saturday, the players stayed out on the field to show appreciation to the fans. Matt Targett told The Chronicle: “They’re incredible – home and away.
There’s a mutual appreciation between the club and fans at Newcastle
“We stayed on the pitch at Villa for a long time to show our appreciation because we know they travel a long distance and we appreciate it so much. It was a great effort from them.”
Targett signed for Newcastle from Aston Villa in the summer after an impressive loan spell. Unfortunately an injury early in the season forced him to drop out of the side and in his absence, Newcastle’s defence became so solid that nobody could be dropped and Targett was resigned to life on the bench.
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There are calls for Targett to start for Newcastle this weekend
He also suffered further knocks throughout the season, so it’s been a tough one for the 27-year-old, but he came off the bench on Saturday to replace a tired Dan Burn who didn’t have the best of games – although, nobody in black and white had a good game.
There are calls amongst the fanbase for Targett to start against Tottenham on Sunday with the feeling being that Dan Burn has looked a bit off the pace for a few weeks and could do with a rest. Whether Eddie Howe sees it that way we’ll have to wait until Sunday to find out, but I definitely think it could be time to make a change or two.
Here’s hoping for another lap of honour and dressing room photo on Sunday.