Whenever I picture Shola leaving the club I can't help but cry. He's a local lad living the dream, on his day (February 29th) he's a cracking player and his hold up play has been great up until recently. Now he's a squad player, ravaged by injuries and scared of hurting himself again but still in love with his club. He can see his career slowly dying but the thought of his baby bro feeling the same joy the club and his fans has given him over the years, it keeps him going, just. We know there's Nigerian mixed with that black and white blood so I'm sure he's at least 40.
He gave his heart to this club, even when many mocked him for his modest footballing abilities and you just know that if he's not offered some sort of position here when he retires that his bloated corpse will be found in the river Tyne. I'm making no illusion that he was a great player, he has been a 'good' player, fortunate that we have experienced a number of injury crises during his stay here. In terms of our playing squad, no, his loss will not be felt but we all know that as a community club, it's never easy to see a true Geordie (a one-club man at that) go. He is 100%, undoubtedly, OURS.
Right now, his contract running out, his legs stiffening and his chances becoming fewer and fewer, it reminds me of that scene in Short Circuit 2. A broken down Johnny 5, bits falling off him, fluids dripping onto the road, chasing down the evil Oscar and trying to do what is right even as his body is failing him. Sparks flying, a feeling of futility as his target speeds away on a boat and every move makes him wince in pain, Jonny still carries on, Bonnie Tyler blasting as a soundtrack and everyone wanting him to succeed.
That is how I see Shola, so let us as fans support him, just as that industrial crane supported Jonny 5 as he swooped onto the boat to seize Oscar, in achieving his dream, of retiring happily with his boyhood club and staying here forever. We will chant his name until he's given a new contract, or else the heart of this club will die.