Targett still stunned by fans’ passion

MATT Targett has professed his love for Newcastle’s ‘amazing and crazy’ fans and admits he has been taken aback by the level of support since he arrived on Tyneside.

The Aston Villa left-back joined the Magpies on loan in January and has been a dependable presence in the back line.

United are believed to have a £15m option to buy the loanee this summer and some supporters have already made their views clear that they would like the 26-year-old to stay.

Targett has played every game since his loan deal was agreed apart from the match against his parent club, for which he was ineligible.

Newcastle’s fortunes have been transformed over the last few months, going from struggling to avoid relegation to a comfortable midtable slot now.

And Targett said he has already noticed the difference in the atmosphere around the city even in the short time he has been on Tyneside.

He said: “It’s amazing (the support). I went out the other week with my missus for dinner. We’d just sat down and about five people came up to me and said ‘well done, keep going.’

“Honestly, it’s crazy up here the support they have for their team. I think we’ve brought the fans closer to the players too. What we do as players is to reward the fans. It’s all for them, really.”

Targett was one of the quintet of players to arrive in the first transfer window after the club was taken over by a Saudi-backed consortium.

With Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier also arriving, the Magpies have taken huge steps forward and the atmosphere at St James’ Park has been transformed.

Had it not been for another Newcastle target, Lucas Digne, snubbing the Magpies to join Steven Gerrard’s Villans, Targett would likely still be in the Midlands.

United are scouting players in all positions – including left-back – ahead of what could be a huge summer for the club.

But the Eastleigh-born defender has stressed that he is delighted to be part of Eddie Howe’s Toon revolution and expects the feel-good factor to remain well into the future.

He added: “The uplift they’ve (the fans) had since the new ownership, the new manager... they’ve been incredible since I’ve come to the club.

“The one thing that did stand out to me when I first came was the atmosphere.”