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WWE Star Neville Comes Home To Tyneside
Written by Newcastle Utd
WWE superstar Adrian Neville paid a visit home to St. James' Park just hours before competing in Newcastle
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
WWE superstar Adrian Neville paid a visit home to St. James' Park just hours before competing at the Metro Radio Arena on Wednesday night
The 28-year-old wrestler, who was born and bred in the West End of Newcastle, is a lifelong Magpies fan and couldn't turn down the opportunity of a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium where he used to cheer on United from the stands until recent years.
Neville, who now lives in Florida, cites Pavel Srnicek, Rob Lee, Peter Beardsley and Andy Cole as his childhood heroes, and attended his first match in March 1997, when a Matt Le Tissier free-kick earned Southampton a 1-0 victory on Tyneside.
"I've always been fanatical about wrestling from a young age, growing up in Newcastle, and I have been fortunate to start training, get opportunities and meet the right people at the right time," explained the star, who entered the ring in the famous black-and-white striped shirt before defeating Tyson Kidd and Sami Zayn to retain the NXT Championship on Wednesday.
"But I'm fanatical about football, too. You don't grow up just down the road from St. James' Park and not get bitten by the bug, do you?
"I'm a lifelong fan, I love the Club and came to as many games as I could growing up. Since leaving the country, my love for the Toon has grown even more - this is my connection with home.
"To come to the stadium and be able to stand pitchside and sit in the home dressing room is very overwhelming. It's magnificent and a beautiful stadium."
To read an in-depth, exclusive interview with WWE superstar Adrian Neville about his love of Newcastle United, pick up a copy of next weekend's matchday programme against QPR.
