Former Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey expressed lasting ill-feelings towards Dan Ashworth while discussing his departure from St James’ Park.
Shelvey, who made over 200 appearances for the Magpies from 2016 to 2023, recounted a tense exchange regarding his contract during Eddie Howe's tenure as manager.
Jonjo Shelvey Reveals Reaction to Newcastle Extension Denial
On the Undr the Cosh podcast, Shelvey explained how his family had settled in Newcastle, and despite a looming multi-year offer from Nottingham Forest, he wished to remain with the club.
Reflecting on the contract discussions, he said, "I went in to see Eddie and said, ‘Look, Forest have offered me this’, they offered me a two-and-a-half-year deal on the same money that I was on at Newcastle.”
However, Howe couldn’t guarantee that Newcastle could match that or provide an extension, directing Shelvey to speak with Ashworth instead.
Shelvey remarked, “I went to see Dan Ashworth. He just said no. I was like, ‘See you later, you little midget’.”
Following that confrontation, he signed with Nottingham Forest but only managed eight appearances before eventually moving to Turkey. Shelvey later disclosed that this transition led to a battle with sleeping pill addiction due to the separation from his family.
While Shelvey found leaving Newcastle challenging, he acknowledged that it was likely in the club's best interest, especially with emerging talents like Bruno Guimaraes and his own struggles with injuries impacting his playing time.
Currently, Shelvey is playing for the Arabian Falcons in the lower leagues of the United Arab Emirates alongside former Manchester United player Ravel Morrison.
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