Ex-Magpie Andros Townsend has claimed that Newcastle United supporters know he did a “good job” at St James’ Park after being booed in Crystal Palace’s 1-0 win on Tyneside at the weekend.
The Eagles’ winger played for the Toon Army in 2016, but received a hostile reception during Saturday afternoon’s match.
However that did not seem to bother Townsend in the slightest after the game, as he says he knows how the fans really feel.
As quoted in the Chronicle, he said: “It was pantomime stuff, I didn’t mind that
“They know I did a good job when I was here so really it doesn’t matter. I’ll always be grateful to them for the support they gave me.
“Anyway, that shows I must have done a good job when I was here. It’s a fantastic club with fantastic supporters. [They have] great players, a great pitch, a great stadium, and it’s always nice to come back.”
OPINION
Townsend was only at St. James’ Park between January and July in 2016, but he still made quite the impression, and many fans were disappointed to see him leave when he did. The winger has always been the kind of player capable of making something out of nothing, and the Toon Army will always get behind a player with that kind of ability. He was booed on Saturday, but you get the impression that both he and the fans have bigger fish to fry, and it in unlikely to have been meant as anything other than a gentle ribbing from the crowd. It is testament to just how well-thought of United are, however, that a player can be booed for 90 minutes and still come off the pitch singing the praises of try supporters. Townsend certainly isn’t the first player to have been affected by the lasting impression of Tyneside, and he probably won’t be the last either.
