Former Newcastle United midfielder Jermaine Jenas has been discussing his move from Nottingham Forest to Tyneside in 2001 and he didn’t sound too happy with the series of events that followed his transfer.
Jenas spent three-years with the Magpies, making 110 league appearances, before moving to Tottenham Hotspur but leaving his boyhood club Nottingham Forest was a ‘massive culture shock’ for the 21-cap England international.
Speaking to BBC Sport about his move, when discussing whether Tottenham striker Harry Kane should move to Real Madrid, the former midfielder didn’t seem to look back on his transition fondly.
“I got dragged out of Nottingham when I was 18 and got sent to Newcastle, which was a culture shock for me at the time.”
“There were not many black people in Newcastle at the time so even just small things like being able to get my hair cut – there was no Afro-Caribbean barber shop in Newcastle so I had to go back down to Nottingham to get my hair cut.
“It is little things like that, the comfort things that you go to, are gone, and you have to find a way to adjust.”
Whilst the comments may attract headlines, it doesn’t seem to be a dig at Newcastle due to the fact that Jenas was so young when he mad that move. However, he could have perhaps chosen his words more carefully.
