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David Ginola has opened up about his reluctant exit from Newcastle United in 1997.
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Ginola made a dazzling impact on Tyneside after joining Newcastle from Paris Saint-Germain for £2.5million in 1995. 75 appearances, two second-place Premier League finishes and seven goals later, Ginola was sold to Tottenham Hotspur.
The move came about following Kevin Keegan’s exit and Kenny Dalglish’s appointment at St James’ Park. Ginola would continue to impress at Spurs, winning League Cup and the PFA Players’ Player of the Year during the 1998-99 season.
Reflecting on his Newcastle exit in a new book about ‘The Entertainers’, Ginola said: "I didn’t want to leave the club but when Kenny Dalglish took over from Kevin it was a shock and it just wasn’t the same anymore. I argued with Kenny and he didn’t play me much after that.
"He tried to get rid of all the foreign players Kevin signed. I was frustrated at the time and I said something in the newspapers that if things don’t change, I will have to leave.
“The following day we had a row. He told me I couldn’t go to the newspapers and say these things. I said, ‘You treat me like I’m having an affair with your wife.’
"He said, ‘How dare you talk to me like that.’ I said, ‘At least I’m talking. You never look at me or talk to me.’ He wasn’t the guy to take us to the top, as it was proved. He didn’t make the most of the players we had.
"Under Kevin, it was such a pleasure every day in training and every Saturday away and at St James’ Park, where the atmosphere was magnificent. I miss those days. One day, those happy days will return."
Ginola’s view that Dalglish wouldn’t take Newcastle ‘to the top’ was ultimately correct as he led the club to a 13th place finish in his first full season in charge. It was the first time The Magpies had failed to finish in the top six in the Premier League since being promoted in 1993.
Dalglish was dismissed after a winless start to the 1998-99 season.