As a Newcastle native, leaving St. James' Park was difficult for newly acquired Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.
In fact, Carroll claimed that he was forced out of the club, a claim that manager Alan Pardew has fervently disputed, according to the Guardian.
Carroll reportedly texted the following to Toon Talk editor Steve Wrath.
"Gutted to be leaving but I was kind of pushed out the door," and "Gutted to be leaving my home club but I was practically told to go. Don't want to leave, that's why I signed a five-year deal. I'm gutted that I wasn't wanted at my home team after everything I have done and the progress I have made. I didn't want to leave at all. Make sure they know I didn't want to leave. The players, staff and fans were fantastic."
He also claimed that he was asked to hand in a transfer request.
"Derek [Llambias, Newcastle's managing director] asked me to hand in a transfer request, so I was pushed into a corner and had no choice," Carroll said. "I wasn't wanted by them and they made it clear they wanted the money."
Pardew, however, claims that Carroll wanted to leave after not receiving another contract extension in January.
"We didn't force anybody to leave," Pardew said.
"I disagree with that point. He had a contract here for five years, and at some point it would get renewed, but for him to sign in October and it get renewed in January — where would it stop?
"I went to see Andy, and face to face, we had a conversation about him wanting a new contract, even though he signed on in October, and [he said] if he didn't get that contract, he wanted to go. I asked him what he wanted, and I went to the board. We had a discussion about what the ramifications would be for the whole club. We took the view, with him signing a contract in October, that this would cause us all sorts of problems.
"We decided that we needed the conversation confirmed, and he put in a transfer request, which he did. He spoke to his agent, and between them they put the request in. We decided with the size of the offer, and what it meant to us, that we would accept."
While Newcastle did gain a £35 million war chest from the sale, Pardew isn't happy to be without Carroll.
"Personally, I'm disappointed. He's a lovely lad, and I really like him, but it was his decision, and you can't change that," Pardew said. "Was this about football? That's what you have to ask. I don't think it was."
Despite the controversy, Carroll has been clear in his excitement for the opportunity to play for Liverpool.
"When I knew it was real and that there was a chance for me to come here I knew it was a great opportunity and I had to take it," he said.
"It's just a great feeling," he continued. "Liverpool is a massive club and it's nice to be wanted by a club like this."
