Shay Given: I have no regrets over NUFC exit

Feb 5 2012 by Mark Douglas, Sunday Sun

IT is a moment that Shay Given never thought would happen.

But when one of Newcastle United’s greatest ever servants makes an unfamiliar left down the St James’ Park corridor and enters the away dressing room for the first time, he will do so without a sense of bitterness, regret or unhappiness.

And there will be no moist-eyed sentimentality from the Ireland goalkeeper either.

As anyone who had the fortune to play in front of him during more than a decade of stirring service in the black-and-white cause would testify, he is the ultimate professional.

Despite the obvious affection that remains for his old club and the pleasure he takes in seeing Tim Krul blossom into such a fine goalkeeper – today is strictly about business.

“I have never played there since I left – it is the first time,” he said.

“It will feel a bit strange I suppose. But it will be great to go back there and play.

“There aren’t too many left at the club. Tim Krul, Steve Harper . . . I’m trying to think of the others – Steven Taylor and Coloccini I suppose.

“But there aren’t many left, no. Shola and Sammy are there and there was another brother when I was there.

“I was there a number of years and I made a lot of appearances there so I should know my way round St James’ Park.

“It was a special time of my career and I enjoyed every moment.

“I have great memories. Beating Barcelona in Champions League football, things like that.

“But you move on in your life and your career and it’s about Aston Villa now and we go up there to try and get three points.

“That’s the name of the game. You have to be professional.”

The tale of Given’s departure is one unfortunate chapter in the horror story that was United’s 2008/9 relegation season. The Ireland goalkeeper seemed to be linked with a move every summer while he was at Newcastle, but the stories could always be taken with a pinch of salt.

Given’s loyalty, if you’ll pardon the pun, was a given.

Then, in December 2008, something changed.

For a while he had nursed the feeling that he needed a fresh challenge away from the claustrophobic climes of Tyneside and when moneybags Manchester City made an approach, he took the hardest decision of his career.

Up until then, he had probably assumed he would see out the rest of his career at Newcastle.

“At one point I did, yeah,” he said.

“But then things change and you change yourself a little bit.

“Sometimes you can go a bit stale at the club and at the time I left it felt right for me.

“It was a new challenge for me and a new lease of life of me.

“You can get stuck in your ways. I enjoyed my time there – it was a great 11 and a half years, but the last few months I thought it was time to try something new.”

A 5-1 reverse against Liverpool – followed by Joe Kinnear insisting talk of him leaving was ridiculous – probably sped along the decision.