It was a summer of change for Newcastle United following their relegation from the Premier League last season.
Many people expected the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Giorgio Wijnaldum to move on, but the departure of long serving defender Steven Taylor took a lot of people by surprise.
Taylor was Newcastle United born and bred, and came through the academy at the club.
He’d been at Newcastle since 1995, but was released at the end of last season after the club decided they wouldn’t be renewing his contract.
In an interview with The Chronicle, Taylor described the fact that Newcastle United are a business club as the reason behind his departure.
He said; “You can bring in players who are worth money, but I didn’t cost anything. You have to get assets to keep the value.”
Taylor was quick to show that there were no hard feelings towards the club he spent 21 years at.
“I do hope they do bounce back,” said the former Toon defender.
“They have had a hard few years and I want to wish them all the best, but I simply want to focus on my new life.”
The new life that Taylor talks about is the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, where he now plays for Portland Timbers in the MLS.
