1 day ago
66
Kevin Nolan found himself apologizing to Newcastle United supporters when Andy Carroll departed Tyneside for Liverpool.
The towering 6-foot-4 forward – who now plays for a non-league club – had made a name for himself at his childhood club before making the switch to Merseyside in January 2011. The move, which set Liverpool back a club-record fee of approximately $56 million at the time, was met with jubilation by Reds fans, while Magpies supporters were understandably disheartened to see their star player leave the north east.
Nolan's comments that Carroll was joining a "great" club only added insult to injury for the Geordie faithful. The Newcastle skipper stated: "Well, Liverpool is a great club.
"I've not taken anything away from how great this club is, I've just said Liverpool is a great club with the history it has got and everything.
"It's a great move for Andy and no one can deny that but I want to be playing for Newcastle.
"If fans don't like it I apologize. It was never meant to affect them. But Liverpool is a great club and everyone knows that."
The situation on Tyneside only deteriorated for Newcastle fans when their other striker, Shola Ameobi, sustained a cheekbone fracture which left him out of action, while questions arose regarding the suitability of potential replacements Leon Best, Peter Lovenkrands and Nile Ranger at Premier League level.
Carroll's exit didn't significantly impact Newcastle's season, with the Magpies securing a commendable 12th-place finish in the Premier League. They then bolstered their squad in the summer, bringing in strikers such as Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba.
Conversely, Carroll's stint at Anfield was short-lived, netting just 11 goals in 58 appearances for the Reds before being transferred to West Ham United in the summer of 2013. Fast forward to 2025, and Carroll has had a second spell with Newcastle, played for clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Reading, Amiens and Bordeaux, and is currently plying his trade at Dagenham and Redbridge.
This comes as Newcastle fans may experience déjà vu this summer, potentially losing another key striker. Alexander Isak is considering his future away from the club.
The Swedish international, who has scored an impressive 62 goals and provided 11 assists for the Magpies since his move from Real Sociedad in 2022, has expressed his desire to leave St James' Park.
Despite Newcastle placing a hefty, British transfer record price tag on their star player, it hasn't deterred big-spending Liverpool from trying to entice him to Anfield ahead of the new Premier League season.
English (US) ·