Stuart Elliott has criticised the way he has been kicked out of the club and blasted the attitude of some big name stars he has left behind.
The 22-year-old was released from his contract last week, and immediately joined Division Three promotion hopefuls Darlington. But the centreback, a reserve team regular who had been at St James's Park for almost five years, says he was shocked at the way United got rid of him.
"I was the fourth longest serving player at Newcastle, and they go and treat me like that!" said the player, who rejected a move to Wrexham last season in the hope of breaking into the Magpies' first team squad.
"I was told the manager didn't have time to speak to me, although he had done when I was placed on the transfer list last season.
"I don't think it was a managerial decision - it was from the men upstairs. This club shows as much respect for players it doesn't want as it does for its fans and that is not very much."
Elliott added: "Anybody that has played with me will agree I always give 100 per cent, but, without naming names, there are players at St James' Park who are earning fortunes and are just there for a jolly-up.
"I didn't have a problem with the club offering to pay up my contract, that was fair enough, but the timing and their attitude was dreadful."
Teamtwaddle

Unfortunate, that yet another departing player feels the need to damn the Club in this way.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

Answers

Clarky, I do sympathise with him, He isn't one of the high earners and as our resorve reporter often states, he is was one of our better defenders. He was probably hoping that if he couldn't make our first team the atleast a team bigger than Darlo or Wrexham could be allerted to his availability.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

Clarky, Kets has slagged the club off and now Elliot. But Marcelino and Maric both seem to be on very good terms (I know we've paid them lots of money for doing nowt). But these are two who could play in the top leagues in any country, I think it's just a case of sour grapes.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

sour grapes ... or comments being taken out of context by journalist ... or merely telling it how it is? I don't see young Stuart saying anything we haven't been saying ourselves for ages ??

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

I often wonder whether clubs have HR directors. How can your manager not have time to talk to you when you are shown the door. Can you imagine that happening in your job? These guys do get paid a lot, but I still think that they should be treated properly.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

To be honest, SE wasn't going to make rthe first team. He's not big enough. He should have realised the cards were on the table when he was off on a loaner. OK - so maybe the first team manager was bit busy - I mean what's more important, waving SE bye-bye or sorting out the first team - but I'm sure Elliot's manager Tommy Craig was around.

It's not as if he's even warmed the bench very much. Disappointment definitely, sour grapes possibly, journo-speak probably.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000