Daryl Murphy has admitted to the Chronicle that he was unsure whether Newcastle United fans would take to him, when he first moved to St. James’ Park.
Murphy used to play for Sunderland, and he questioned whether his past connection with the Black Cats would put the Tyneside crowd off him.
However, Murphy insists that his past has never been brought up by Newcastle’s supporters.
And the striker said: “Jack Colback gets a lot of stick. He went straight from Sunderland to Newcastle – I obviously went away for a few years.
“I didn’t know what kind of reception I’d get when I signed but it couldn’t have gone any better for me.
“From the first day, outside the training ground with the fans and all that, they never mentioned to me about Sunderland. They just knew I was proven in the Championship, they wanted to get out of the Championship and I was going there to try and help them do that. I think they appreciated that.”
Murphy came to Newcastle without much fan fare, but he has been an important player for Rafael Benitez’s side.
The veteran forward has generally played a covering role, but he has still proven to be a good option when called upon.
Murphy scored six goals in 22 matches for Newcastle during his first season at St. James’ Park.
It is unclear whether Murphy will remain with the Magpies next campaign, following their promotion to the Premier League.