Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer was among those who paid tribute to Kieran Trippier after the defender confirmed his time at the club was drawing to a close.
Trippier has announced he will be leaving Newcastle United at the end of the season upon the expiration of his contract after a fairytale time of things on Tyneside.
An absolute legend is leaving the club 😔 – how do you look back on Trippier’s time here?
A graphic asking Newcastle United fans to rate Kieran Trippier's legacy at the club betwen A* and D.
Credit: Getty Images/Visionhaus
The defender was the first signing of the PIF era and is generally seen as the standard-bearer for their success since.
Indeed, players like Bruno Guimaraes signed for Newcastle because of Trippier, who took the risk to leave a European giant in Atletico Madrid to join a Toon side battling against relegation.
Shearer thanks Trippier for Newcastle United service
On Saturday, Newcastle United’s official Instagram page posted a video of an emotional interview with Trippier in which he announced his decision to leave the club.
Assuming Tino goes too – who on earth should we sign at right-back?! 🤔
A graphic of Kieran Trippier playing for Newcastle United captioned with the question: "Who should Newcastle sign to replace Kieran Trippier?"
Credit: Getty Images/George Wood
Shearer was among several Newcastle stars of past and present to pay tribute to the 35-year-old.
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He responded with: “Thanks Tripps.”
Current teammate Fabian Schar wrote: “Gonna be a big miss.”
Matt Targett, Steven Taylor and Paul Dummett also thanked the veteran.
Liverpool v Newcastle United - Carabao Cup Final
Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
Trippier’s Newcastle United record is legendary
Two Champions League qualifications and the Carabao Cup win would have been impossible without him.
Trippier is one of Newcastle’s greatest-ever defenders and it is only fitting that he gets an emotional send-off over the next seven Premier League games.
Though he can clearly add to these tallies before the end of the season, Trippier has made 157 appearances for Newcastle United since joining the club in January 2022, scoring four goals and registering 29 assists.
Statistics alone do not tell the full story, however. Trippier’s arrival announced a new dawn on Tyneside and his leadership and quality helped deliver the club’s most exciting era in decades.
The defender deserves quite the send-off in the coming weeks.
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