Newcastle United club icon Shay Given has revealed the real reason he left the club back in 2009 and has expressed his desire that things could have been different.
The Republic of Ireland international spent over a decade on St James’ Park, making an incredible 462 appearances for the Tyneside outfit before his 2009 move to newly rich Manchester City.
Speaking in his newly released autobiography, Given has said it was not his wish to move on, however after a turbulent few years in which staff and players were in-and-out the club, he felt he had no choice for the sake of his own career.
“Every transfer window we were selling our best players and replacing them with free transfers and mediocre players,” he said (via the Chronicle).
“That wasn’t the club I joined. It was an ambitious club I joined and challenging at the top of the league and not in a relegation dogfight.
“I’m not saying I was too good for that – I just felt the opportunity with Manchester City and the club going places was there and too good to turn down. Had Newcastle been investing in the team like Manchester City, I would never had left the football club.”
Given went on to spend three seasons with the Citizens, helping them to an FA Cup victory in 2010/11, before spells at Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Stoke City. He retired last summer.
“It was a footballing decision and it did pull on the heartstrings with family here, so it was a big decision to move.”
