Allan Saint-Maximin was outstanding for Newcastle in the win at West Ham on Saturday, and his performance saw him named in Alan Shearer’s Team Of The Week.
The Frenchman was bizarrely omitted from Garth Crooks’ team, formulated for the BBC Sport website, although Jonjo Shelvey did make it into that one.
His spot in the Newcastle legend’s side – in which Shearer also put Steve Bruce as manager – was thoroughly deserved, with him terrorising the West Ham defence every time he got on the ball.
He responded to the Premier League’s tweet announcing Shearer’s team with humility, using the hashtags #NewcastleLegend and #FeelingGrateful.
He is a player that seems to just ‘get’ Newcastle United and its supporters, and it has instantly endeared him to the fan-base.
Newcastle fans already love Saint-Maximin
Of course, for Toon fans, there is nothing not to like about Saint-Maximin: he has funky hair; he wears a distinctive headband; he tears around the pitch bamboozling defenders with his fancy footwork and direct running; he plays like he would bleed for the black and white shirt; he shows his appreciation for the fans; and he interacts with supporters on social media;
In fact, he has almost everything to become a hero on Tyneside. The only thing currently missing is goals, and they will surely come sooner rather than later.
And as if that was not enough to love about him, he replies to a Sunderland fan’s tweet questioning his inclusion in Shearer’s team, by poking fun at that Black Cats, and makes fans adore him even more.
The Sunderland fan took a swipe at him for having no goals and no assists against the Hammers (he obviously did not watch his performance then), to which Saint-Maximin sent the following response:
As you would expect, Newcastle fans were loving it, and were quick to let their new hero know. Here are some of the replies:
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