Allan Saint-Maximin has paid tribute to Newcastle United fans for ‘understanding’ him as a player after the Frenchman’s style of play ‘disturbed’ his countrymen.
It is approaching five years now since Saint-Maximin joined Newcastle from Nice and the mercurial forward quickly became a huge fans’ favourite. Not only with his displays on the field, but with his generosity off it, too, whether it was quietly donating to the foodbank, buying toys for young Geordies or spontaneously giving a supporter a Rolex watch.
Newcastle fans also left their mark on Saint-Maximin. Even after leaving for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, last summer, Saint-Maximin wrote that Newcastle is ‘home now’ before the 27-year-old added that he will continue to be the club’s ‘biggest supporter’. Clearly, Saint-Maximin will never forget his time at St James’ Park after becoming a ‘better player’ on Tyneside.
“My qualities are more recognised in England than in France,” the Frenchman said in Va-Va-Voom: The Modern History of French Football. “In France, and I never understood why, my way of playing seemed to disturb people or annoy people because they don’t have the same way of seeing football.
“Whereas in England, when I dribble, they immediately understood that there’s a point to it. The fans saw that I was there to punch holes and to create space for my team-mates, and they also saw that it worked.”
