Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterJonjo Shelvey says he was given a get out of jail free card when he joined Newcastle United - but turned it down.The former Liverpool midfielder made the move from Swansea City back in January 2015, just a couple of days after getting into an altercation with a Swans fan during an FA Cup defeat to Oxford.Newcastle were not in a good way at the time, with Steve McClaren struggling to get the side into form and Rafa Benitez ending the season with an undefeated streak that was too little, too late to save them from the drop.Shelvey told FourFourTwo: "The night before that Oxford game, I knew the deal had been done and I was going to Newcastle."I drove up there and never looked back. I was so excited." You may like Jonjo Shelvey rates recent Newcastle United managers from Rafa Benitez to Steve Bruce Jonjo Shelvey on his Gareth Southgate rift and England snub Jonjo Shelvey: "Alan Pardew said I couldn't take a girl out" Shelvey ended up spending eight years at Newcastle, making over 200 appearances for the club.Along the way, Shelvey helped the club earn promotion back from the Championship and helped them to re-establish themselves in the Premier League - just like he had hoped.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over."Me and Andros Townsend joined in the January window, and they gave me the option to add a relegation clause in my contract so I could leave."But I didnt want that. I was there for the long haul."Id always loved playing at St James Park, so I was going there to stay."The club paid a lot of money for me, so I felt it was my responsibility to get them back in the Premier League."It was the right decision, and I really enjoyed my season in the Championship."I loved living in Newcastle and we settled there as a family."TOPICSJonjo ShelveyNewcastle UnitedSwansea CitySteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromSam Pilger
