“The most striking thing was the communion with the supporters in this stadium. The atmosphere is strong. The fans would warn us if there was someone coming behind us. He’s a real 12th man on the pitch, I haven’t experienced that anywhere else. » Asked by France Blue Paris before the Newcastle-PSG of 2023 in the Champions League (4-1), Laurent Robert has great memories of St James’ Park, the lair of the Magpies.
Laurent Robert was a major player for Newcastle during his time from 2001 to 2005. The powerful left-hander, spotted in Reunion by Brest then revealed in Montpellier, was bought for 15 million euros by Newcastle from PSG. The winger was then a French international. He narrowly missed Euro 2000 before winning the 2001 Confederations Cup in a French team.
Christian Karembeu, Laurent Robert and Steve Marlet during the 2001 Confederations Cup.
Robert is the top French scorer in Magpies history. He scored 32 goals in 181 matches but also provided 41 assists. Her best of is tasty. The native of Saint-Benoît brought the crowds to their feet with superb free kicks, notably sending a missile into Fabien Barthez’s net, or even terrible strikes from outside the area.
Laurent Robert, “an exceptional talent”
Newcastle fans are nostalgic for this team managed by Sir Bobby Robson. Local journalist David Punton, interviewed by onefootballconfided his admiration for Laurent Robert, “an exceptional talent”. The NUFC follower assures that Robert would have been a Premier League star playing for Manchester United, the dominant team at the time. “Unpredictable. Powerful. Talented »these are the three words that sum up the Reunionese. “He rivals David Ginola and Hatem Ben Arfa for French talent”he specifies, citing other players who have passed through the banks of the Tyne.
The pralines sent by Laurent Robert? “Of all the players I saw play at St James’ Park, there were few who hit the ball with such power. It was breathtakingly accurate at times and, looking back, I wonder if I underestimated it a little. This Reunionese man was an immense talent. A left foot of phenomenal power ». Just that.
David Punton even remembers the farewells of Laurent Robert, on May 15, 2005, in “a beautiful sunny spring day”when Chelsea came (1-1): “The Frenchman, a true football legend, said goodbye after four exceptional years at Newcastle by stripping down to his underwear. Jersey, shorts, shoes, socks, shin guards: everything was offered to the public. That day when everyone knew that their adventure at the club was coming to an end”. Beautiful tribute.
