Jonjo Shelvey has recently moved on to his FIFTH club in two years since leaving Newcastle United in 2023.
After spells at Nottingham Forest, Burnley, two stints in Turkey and a summer injury that cost him a summer switch to Championship side Hull City, the 33-year-old joined second tier UAE side Arabian Falcons last month.
Speaking to BBC Sport’s Ciaran Kelly following his switch to the Middle East, Shelvey has spoken openly on his decision to leave England and his time on Tyneside.
One brilliant section features his experience in the North East, where he completely shuts down the lazy narrative that players will always prefer to live in London or Manchester over Newcastle:
“There’s this debate about whether Newcastle are able to attract the big players compared to the Manchester clubs and the London clubs but, until you go there, you don’t understand what it does to you.
“There are loads of things to do. I don’t care what anyone says. If players are going to listen to this, it’s a no-brainer to go there and play football.
“You will not find love at a football club like I found at Newcastle, with how they take to their players and how much they back you.”
Jonjo then discussed THAT goal at Leeds to secure what went on to be a massive win in Eddie Howe’s first season at the club, before talking up his experience at Newcastle once again.
“If I had not scored that (goal against Leeds, the club would have gone down!
“I’m joking. Looking back at it, you don’t realise how big a goal it was and, to be fair, the keeper [Illan Meslier] chucked one in for us. I scuffed the life out of it.
“But I’ve only got good things to say about my time at Newcastle. I loved it. Even when I first got the call about going there, I drove 12 hours from Swansea because of the traffic. I just wanted to get up there, get my medical done and get signed.
“I had experienced playing against Newcastle at St James’ Park and you get a real buzz, but you never understand how big the club is until you are there.”
Shelvey then spoke openly about his decision to swap England for the UAE, explaining why he doesn’t want his kids growing up in London any more:
“I’ve had my time. I’m happy and content. I’m just at the stage now where I want to enjoy football. It’s about waking up, enjoying what I do and spending time with my family.
“If I’m honest, I don’t want my children growing up in England any more. We’re very lucky that we lived in a nice part of the UK but where I’m from, originally, you can’t have nice things in my opinion.
“I’d never wear a watch in London any more. You can’t have your phone out in London, in my view.
“I’m not massive on reading politics, I just see some of the things that go on. I see people getting arrested for tweeting and, then, all of the flags and ‘taking back the country’.
“I’m not going to sit here and comment on things like that because I’m not clever enough to, and I’ll get myself into trouble if I carry on, but I just feel that the UK isn’t what it was 10 to 15 years ago.”
The “lazy narrative” is normally peddled by the likes of gobshite Agbonlahor and Troy (mouth full of broken bottles) Deeney who let’s be fair if we’d have shown a interest in them when they were playing would have crawled over broken glass to get here.
I’m glad that nobodies like them and Jason Cunty don’t want to come here because we don’t want them here either.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
He lived in the Newcastle area before he moved his family to the UAE so the kids weren’t growing up in London.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
I lived in both just like Shellvey and I also did not want my kids growing up in london and certainly at his kids ages .. he is making a point you appear to have missed or won’t accept that he chooses safety and heathy living for his children instead of the ongoing degradation of the U.K./London
He is fortunate to have that choice
Mike(Quote)
You seem to have missed the point not me “If I’m honest, I don’t want my children growing up in England any more”
He didn’t want his kids growing up in the UK not London which he used as an example of how bad it has become where HE grew up as a kid himself and how he doesn’t wear a watch when out and about in London. He also mentions he lives in a nice part of the UK (Newcastle).
Try reading the full interview not just snippets on another site I was pointing out his kids have never lived in London like the article said.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)