Loyalty

Been thinking... loyalty is becoming more and more rare in game.
If terms of Toon players, past and present... Who do you pick out as displaying real loyalty to the shirt?

Me... I'll get the ball rolling with Shearer as he could have had his pick of clubs but stuck true to his roots.

 

Harper
Shola

 

Shay Given (to a degree)
Coloccini

 

All of the above and.



Kevin Keegan.


Peter Beardsley.



Nolberto Solano.

 

Good shout with Colo.

 

Rob Lee...

In terms of current players I reckon HBA will prove fiercely loyal, the way he talks about the fans, club and Pardew speaks volumes for how much he loves it here. I think he was surprised how much faith the club showed in him buy making his deal permanent while he was out with a broken leg.

 

Not one of them

 

To be honest, I wouldn't agree with Colo - to an extent. I love the lad and all in terms of his career, I think WE showed loyalty to HIM. He was absolutely appalling in his first season when we went down and was rightfully dubbed 'Colo the Clown'. Looked a dreadful player. Obviously has come on incredibly since. Take a look at this article about him in May 2009....quite interesting look back... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-Villa-1-Newcastle-United-0-Match-report.html

 

wow imagine that duff own goal didnt go in and we never got relegated! We'd never be where we are now!!

 

Stevie Taylor!

 

Xisco - he's stuck at it and never even gets a game. Now that's loyalty!

 

Bit general PAM but your opinion

 

To be honest I don't think there is much loyalty in football, apart from the local lads.

Players who profess to love the club/fans/area always tend to leave straight away when there is a better opportunity. See how many have left Arsenal in the last couple of years despite being nurtured by Wenger into top European players?

And the ones who stay, only stay because they are on more wages than they can get anywhere else or there is no better team that wants them!

 

Harper - look at other keepers who've represented England in the past 10 years: Hart, Robinson, Green, Kirkland, Carson, Foster - Harper IMO is better than all but Hart - had he left and gone elsewhere, taken up a No.1 spot, I have no doubt he'd have gotten England caps...As it is, I think he stayed 'cause it was easier, but that's my cynical side talking. If you were offered the chance to make millions playing for the club you love, playing for newcastle united, always being seen as a steady No.2 would you do it? ****ing right I would!

 

This for me, to be at the club 20 odd years and still not be at 200 apperances tells you all you need to know about Harpers loyalty.

 

Harps isn't just a good keeper, he's a really good guy.

There used to be a young kid that sat behind the goal in a wheelchair and he took the time to come behind the goal and have a few words with her at SJP, and then at a Bolton away game he came off the field and walked up to the spot she was on between the lower and first tiers and had a word with her during a break. It meant an awful lot to her and unfortunately she died soon after that.

A happier person no doubt for Harps little show of caring.

 

Chop Harper in half and you'd see black and white stripes running right through him. Wins the loyalty prize by a mile IMO. We're lucky to have him.

 

didn't know that...Seems we've found another one in Bigirimana - the more I read about him, the happier I am we have him!

 

I know but it's true! Loyal on the pitch but as individuals careers comes first.

for me I'd rather play for Newcastle and lose than win at Barca but that because I'm not in their shoes. I don't blame them for wanting to get to the top.

 

Got to agree on Harper. Though i would add that you missed James out of the list of keepers in the past 10 years and i think he was better (though a touch less reliable at times). Harper would definately have got caps ahead of those though, but he made the option to stay at the expense of first team. Goes to show how class Given was (and yes i use the past tense).