Kevin Nolan is the true definition of a cult hero at  Newcastle: impressive goal catalogue, passion, and delivered some big game performances when it mattered.

And our former captain has now opened up on how his move to the North East came to fruition after a decade at Bolton Wanderers.

The current Northampton Town manager tells us for the first time about the circumstances that led to his move, telling his wife he was suddenly switching clubs, and the message one Newcastle hero told him before he made the move.

What led to his move to Newcastle?

Speaking on the EFL Unfiltered podcast, Nolan reveals more about the circumstances behind his move from Bolton, where he made 345 appearances across all competitions, to Newcastle in January 2009.

After some issues at the end of his spell at Bolton, Nolan was afforded the opportunity to move up North for a fee of £4m.

“I didn’t want to leave Bolton, but Joey Barton had fractured his foot, so we’d already set it all up that I had an opportunity to go Newcastle.”

How did his family react?

On such a sudden move, Nolan didn’t have the time to tell his wife about the surprise news until he was ready to go and sign his contract.

“I didn’t realise how far Newcastle was! I’d moved back to Liverpool, and I got in the car, my missus was going to a concert that night, she was going to the Pussycat Dolls with all her friends.”

“And I’m like ‘yeah I’ve just been sold to Newcastle’ and I’m packing a bag and she’s like ‘Oh, where you going now?’”

“I’m going off to Newcastle and she’s like ‘What?’ I’m walking down the stairs, she’s shouting and she’s out the window going ‘Where are you going?’”

“I just started driving off and she’s ringing me ‘What do you mean you’re going to Newcastle?’ And I’m like, I’m signing for Newcastle.”

Gary Speed’s warning to Nolan

In the fallout of his Bolton departure, Nolan feels that he upset Gary Speed, who he played alongside and even played under during Speed’s brief stint as coach of the club.

With this being during our relegation-stricken season, Speed reportedly told Nolan that we were “I don’t think it’s the right one for you, it’s in a bad place.”

“I went look Speedo, I think I’m done at Bolton and I need a new challenge.”

“I said it is what it is, if it fails, I’ll take it on the chin.”

In the end, Nolan made his move on January 29th 2009, and would go on to enjoy a brilliant spell with us, including being pivotal in helping us be promoted from the Championship, becoming the club captain in 2010, and of course, scoring a famous hat trick against the 5-1 rout of Sunderland.