Newcastle United confronted a mass exodus of Premier League stars once they had been relegated to the Championship in 2009, with one specifically forcing by way of a transfer they now mirror on with disappointment.
Obafemi Martins, Sebastien Bassong, Habib Beye, David Edgar, Damien Duff, Michael Owen and Mark Viduka all departed Newcastle that summer season, with no new signings coming in to interchange them.
Crucial participant amongst that checklist, although, was Bassong. Having arrived from Metz for simply £500k the summer season earlier than, the defender went onto win the Newcastle Participant of the Season award. His 30 appearances within the Premier League at left-back and centre-back impressed – particularly contemplating he was nonetheless solely 22-years-old and a relative unknown when arriving within the North East.
Ex-Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong displays on 2008/09
Bassong in motion for Newcastle (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
“I used to be taking part in very effectively,” Bassong completely tells FourFourTwo . “I used to be fearless. I gained the membership’s participant of the season award, despite the fact that I wasn’t anticipated to be beginning usually but.
Nonetheless, as a group and for the membership as a complete, it was actually powerful. We had a number of managers through the season, there was no stability and we obtained relegated. Once you don’t have any stability, you pay the worth in some unspecified time in the future.
“So, I mirror upon that season with combined feelings. I used to be so gutted and might bear in mind crying after we went down, as I used to be absolutely dedicated. I fell in love with the English recreation and all the Geordies, in order that was onerous for me. However that’s life and you need to bounce again.”
The Cameroon worldwide did not depart on the very best of phrases, although. In July 2009 he refused to journey with the squad on their pre-season tour, expressing his want to return to the Premier League.
Bassong forces by way of Tottenham transfer
Bassong celebrates towards Liverpool for Tottenham (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
He later criticised there not being a supervisor in cost firstly of pre-season – Chris Hughton was ultimately appointed on a full-time foundation, although by that time Bassong had pressured by way of a transfer to Tottenham .
Wanting again, it is clear he would have most well-liked issues to have gone in a different way in securing that switch, although he is eager to emphasize there is not any regrets.
“I imagine you make errors for a cause,” Bassong says. “So, would I’ve modified something? Not likely. If I knew on the time what I do know now, then I wouldn’t have pressured a transfer away from the membership – I’d have achieved it in a different way. However I used to be younger and also you study from errors.
“Individuals understand how a lot I really like Newcastle United – I used to be a child who didn’t know how you can maintain his personal feelings or know what was proper from improper. I obtained carried away and my spell there was tarnished by the way in which I left, though I used to be capable of clear the air with the membership and clarify what occurred. I don’t remorse what occurred, although.
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“It was a passionate story between me and Newcastle. I owe them loads and needed to apologise in some unspecified time in the future; I needed to admit what went on in my thoughts. On the time, I used to be in a state of affairs the place I used to be out of the blue in demand and folks inform you a great deal of issues that make you confused. You’ve been pressured to not go to coaching, and that’s troublesome to cope with as a younger footballer.
“At one stage, any individual was providing me one thing after which they pulled out. This type of enterprise was occurring behind the scenes. I used to be instructed by individuals at totally different golf equipment, ‘Don’t prepare, power a transfer away and we’ll pay the fines’. It was a worrying interval.”
