Newcastle United terrace hero Lee Clark has revealed how he returned to the Magpies in 2005 to discover the club was almost unrecognisable to the place he had left in 1997.
Speaking in his new book, Clark has pulled no punches with his assessment of the squad he rejoined over a decade ago when the team was managed by Graeme Souness.
Clark has questioned the attitude of players like Albert Luque and Celestine Babayaro and says it was galling to share the dressing room with players who lacked commitment.
The Geordie says he felt “elation” at returning to his boyhood club, but was left down in the dumps over how the club had slipped behind sides like Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
He said: “I was saddened to discover how much United’s stock had fallen.
“The Newcastle United I left in 1997 was in the Champions League and challenging for the Premier League title.
“The squad was bursting with incredibly gifted footballers, players with good character and attitude.
“I returned to St James’ Park to find, overall, the antithesis of that.
“The standard of player was poor, the attitude of many, atrocious, and the relationship between players and supporters appeared to be fractured and broken.”