You ask any TRUE Manchester United fan (and not the millions who wear the shirt and haven't been within 200 miles of Old Trafford) what they think of Mikael Silvestre and I can promise you ... there wouldn't be too many crying in their beer if he left.
He has been regarded by many as the bloke they'd most like to see pedal his bike down the Warwick Road, and I don't think there were many Toon delighted when they heard he could be heading over the Tyne Bridge.
Sam Allardyce has brought players to add steel to the side, and personally I think we had lucky escape with Silvestre.
Silvestre says he is a close friend of Ousmane Dabo, who was allegedly assaulted by his former Manchester City team-mate Barton in May.
Newcastle Are Better Off Without 'Gutless' Manc
Barton moved to Newcastle this summer, and France defender Silvestre admitted that was the reason he could not bring himself to move to Tyneside.
Silvestre: "It was a good contract and a fine opportunity, but money is not the only thing in life. I could not sign for Newcastle out of respect for Ousmane Dabo."
Yep, as the saying goes "when the going gets tough - the tough get going", and boy if you were in the trenches with Silvestre you would be sure of "hand up" to go over the top.
Barton, who is currently out with a fractured metatarsal, denies a charge of causing Dabo actual bodily harm. He faces trial on October 4.