LOYAL RAFA SHOWING HIS STAYING POWER

RAFA BENITEZ insists loyalty to players and fans was key to his decision to stick with Newcastle.

The Toon boss admits he is unhappy Mike Ashley denied him the spending power he expected after masterminding an immediate return to the Premier League.

Club owner Ashley pledged “every last penny’’ generated to strengthen the Magpies’ squad.

Benitez (right) has spent just over £30million this summer while the club have raked in £12m by selling French flop Florian Thauvin to Marseille and striker Daryl Murphy to Nottingham Forest.

But the Spaniard, whose side open the season at home to Tottenham today, said: “I want to stay because we fought so hard to be here, and we’re behind the city, behind the team – and the city are behind you and your team. We’re not demanding crazy things.

“We’re demanding just to do things in the right way.”

He added: “A couple of players asked me, ‘Will you sign a new contract?’ I said, ‘I think so’ and they decided to stay because I gave them my word.

“Here, I stayed in the Championship which was a massive risk for me, but I decided to stay. Now, after August, I’ll see where we are in terms of points but the main thing is we have to stick together.

“Am I happy with what has gone on this summer? No, but I think we can improve and compete.’’