Ayoze Perez, we salute you! Or you salute us, more accurately.
Following his midweek goal against Doncaster, the Spanish striker took to Twitter to send a little love letter straight from the heart:
I hope it was the first goal of many this season! Thanks to the fans that were with us yesterday! ⚽?? pic.twitter.com/c1k8tQRdhC
— Ayoze Perez (@AyozePG) July 21, 2016
It had been rumoured in the immediate aftermath of last season’s relegation that Ayoze would be on his way out of Tyneside but he has shown more loyalty and fortitude than more experienced team-mates and is looking forward to the coming season.
It’s a level at which a player of his talent ought to make hay if he applies himself. Perez is hugely talented, if a little frustrating in his wayward finishing at times but at 22 years old, he has time to on his side to improve that aspect of his game.
I’m sure it will come with a motivated team dragging the best performances out of each other. That has to be the case because we can’t afford any passengers this season; we saw the damage they can do last year.
We can only hope that Championship defences part as easily as Doncaster’s…
175-180