It's amazing what the internet has done for this planet when you think about it.
I mean when I set off for work this morning I didn't expect to be having a telephone conversation with former Toon forward Lee Payne for instance!
Once upon the Tyne as a 12-year-old heading up to St James's Park during the torrid 1988/89 season - that resulted in United being relegated from the Old First Division under Jim Smith - I soon realised there was no shortage of stick flying around with the club in real turmoil.
And unfortunately during that time not many players escaped that stick not least Payne.
But in response to a entry on Blog on The Tyne way back in May when Antoine Sibierski left Toon to join Wigan - I referred to Payne - and the former Magpie tracked me down to chew the fat!
Payne - who United signed from Barnet for just £25,000 - was placed on a list of players who never made an impact for the Toon when Blog on the Tyne reported back in May: "A contract wrangle in which Sibi wanted two years and United could only offer the 32-year-old just one, means it's all over for the tall striker who cost us nowt!
OK, he never did and never was going to hit the heights of Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand or even Craig Bellamy.
But when he arrived he appeared destined to join the same infamous list as Silvio Maric, Fumaca. Rob McDonald or Lee Payne."
However, I have to admit I was stunned when Payne took the time out of his day to tell me: "I was heartbroken when I read that piece on Blog on the Tyne.
"I loved my time in Newcastle and when Jim Smith told me I had been sold to Reading, I cried all of the way down there because I didn't want to leave Newcastle.
"I felt like the proudest man on the planet when I pulled on the black and white shirt.
"To be honest I think I was Willy McFaul's last signing at Newcastle but when Jim Smith arrived he changed everything.
"Looking back I didn't do that badly as a Newcastle player, I played a few games and would love to have stayed at the club, I remember going off in one game and the fans were chanting my name - there the best fans.
"I loved it and I appreciate what a great club it is.
"It breaks my heart when I look at the players that come here, leave with loads of money and then head back overseas and just don't care.
"But I did care and I just wish that some of the overseas players who come here these days appreciate it as much as I did because it goes a long, long way.
"Looking back I should have refused to leave because I had two years on my contract but when Jim Smith tells you that as a 20-year-old, what do you do?
"It was just gutting but I went to Reading but then I played in Holland for a while and then decided to be a players agent.
"But looking back at my days at Newcastle I ran my heart out and never wanted to go.
"One great memory I have was that I used to go to St James's Park late at night, pull my hood over my head and run around the pitch - just to try to take it all in and imagine what could be achieved at this great club.
"On the other hand a certain player in my time used to sit in the jacuzzi and drink champagne after training!
"Fans don't see that but that's what happened."
Perhaps a bit of the same attitude as Payne from some of the expensive overseas players in recent history wouldn't go a miss these days eh?
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