By Matthew Jones
October 15 2003

Newcastle United winger Nobby Solano has insisted that he doesn't want to leave St James' Park, stating that he is very happy, loves the club and he loves the Geordie fans. Speaking to The Journal, he said: "I love the club and the fans. I'm very happy here and of course I want to stay.

"It is not up to me. It is up to the manager, of course. I have another two years on my contract after this season but who knows in football. Things change very quickly.

"However, even when I eventually go I'll remember Newcastle for the rest of my life.

"When I signed from Boca Juniors I didn't know anything about the city. England was on the other side of the world and Newcastle wasn't the capital.

"But I got a shock. The Geordies are so passionate about football and they have always made me feel so welcome. Not just on match days but wherever I walk they come up and speak. They encourage me.

"I tell everyone in South America they must come here. I tell players they must play at St James' Park where we have 52,000 fans every game.

"At Boca Juniors we only got big crowds if the team was doing well. If not, they stayed away. But not in Newcastle.

"If I talk to ordinary football lovers I say: `If you go to England come to Newcastle for the weekend. It's the best football city in the country'."

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