Newcastle United star teases ‘new club’ in touching 258-word farewell message amid Portsmouth links

Matt Ritchie has teased the next step in his football career after it was revealed that he would leave St James’ Park when his current contract comes to an end this summer. Ritchie has spent the last eight years on Tyneside having moved from Bournemouth ahead of their 2016/17 Championship campaign.

Ritchie would go on to make 215 appearances in total for the Magpies with his final goal for the club coming against his former side as they snatched a late draw against the Cherries at St James’ Park back in February. A statement from Ritchie was released by Newcastle United on Friday afternoon. 

It read: ‘After eight incredible years, my journey with Newcastle has come to an end and before I begin to prepare for an exciting new challenge at my new club - I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made my time here so special.

‘To the fans, your unwavering support has and always will mean the world to me.

‘From the elation of scoring the winner against Burton Albion as we chased promotion, to a personal highlight of mine, scoring in a 1-0 win over Man United to secure our Premier League status in 2018, these moments, where we battled and triumphed together at St James’ Park, will always hold a special place in my heart.

‘Newcastle United is filled with extraordinary people who made my time here so special. There’s no doubt that I’m leaving this club with friends for life.

‘To the manager, coaches, my teammates and all the amazing staff at the club, it was a privilege to be part of such a talented, dedicated and ambitious team. Your hard work and friendship made every day a joy, and I am proud to have worked alongside you all.

‘There’s no doubt in my mind that this club will continue to grow from strength to strength over the coming seasons and I will be watching proudly from afar as a fan.

‘Finally, I want to end by thanking every single Newcastle United supporter - you are the beating heart of this one-of-a-kind club and without you, none of this would have been possible.’