Scott Parker looks to have kicked his last ball for Newcastle United but the big question for the Toon Army has to be: Will we miss him?
Alan Shearer's retirement at the end of last season did not leave United with too many options in terms of a ready made replacement skipper.
And even when Glenn Roeder opted for the Londoner to follow in his and Robert Lee's footsteps as cockney captains, many were left wondering whether the decision was correct with Shay Given overlooked.
Parker impressed many of us with his energetic performances from the middle and bursting runs which often left him bordering on the point of exhaustion!
But there were some fans who couldn't see what else he had in his locker.
Many people didn't like the way he appeared to face his own goal too often and searched for support behind him rather than in front.
Indeed the demand for attacking positive football at Gallowgate and Leazes appeared to result in the player being singled out for being too negative.
Forget, Opta stats and Prozone for a minute.
Newcastle fans want to see one midfielder to sit in front of the usual dodgy line of four we have the cheek to call our defence and the other to bomb forward, Bobby Lee style, and get the goals to support the front two.
That theory was underlined even more so by the fact that many felt that Parker and Nicky Butt could not play together in the same team.
And even though Butt has lived a charmed life on Tyneside, it could prove to be somewhat of an irony if the former England man ends up starting the season as a Toon player, 12 months after his career in black and white looked over and Parker was destined to finish his career as captain.
As one well known former cockney footballer may put it, it's a funny old game!
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