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Exclusive Shelvey interview in Sunday's programme
Written by Tom Easterby
He doesn’t often speak publicly, but this week Jonjo Shelvey sat down with the official matchday programme for an exclusive interview ahead of Sunday’s visit of Manchester United.
Shelvey – a keen golfer since his youth – took UNITED to Close House for a round, but before heading out onto the course, the 25-year-old spent time openly discussing a host of topics – his sessions with a psychologist, controlling his aggression, the perception of him and the way his childhood and early days at Charlton shaped his attitude to life and football.
In the in-depth, ten-page interview, the England international also reflects on the fall-out from his red cards against Spurs and Everton, and the realisation that followed.
“The penny’s sort of dropped now with me,” Shelvey told UNITED. “I know what’s right and wrong, on and off the pitch, and I know what you can and can’t do. I’m just trying to stick by that every day. It’s probably taken a lot longer than what it should do to sink in, but I feel like I’m at that stage now.
“I’ve just always tried to rely on my ability. I’ve always been able to technically play football and understand the game, and I probably thought that would always see me through. But you realise that the way football is going, you have to add other elements to your game to get to where you need to be.”
As well as the full Big Interview with Shelvey, Club Doctor Paul Catterson lifts the lid on his 24/7 role with the Magpies in the latest instalment of our United Backstage feature, remembering how he arrived at St. James' Park via the North East's A&E departments.
Sunday's issue also includes a four-page interview with former defender David Edgar, who rose to prominence as a teenager after hitting an equalising goal for United against the Red Devils. Club Historian Paul Joannou, meanwhile, remembers Rex - the Magpies' four-legged mascot during the hugely successful Edwardian era.
Elsewhere, we look back at one or two of Newcastle's most famous victories against their opponents from Manchester, while we also pay tribute to the late Vic Keeble - the last surviving member of the Magpies' FA Cup-winning side of 1955, who sadly passed away last month.
To read all of this in full – plus much more – pick up a copy of UNITED from around St. James’ Park or in the club store on Sunday, priced at just £3.
