Kieran Trippier has paid an emotional tribute to Newcastle fans after announcing he will leave the club at the end of the season.
The full back, 35, joined the club from Atletico Madrid in January 2022 and has made 158 appearances for Eddie Howe’s side since.
Trippier – who announced his retirement from international football in 2024 after winning 54 caps for England – was the club’s first signing under the Saudi ownership and has been widely credited with being one of the key players in the club’s rise since.
When he joined the club were in the Premier League relegation zone but the club finished the season 11th and went on to qualify for the Champions League with a fourth-placed finish in 2022-23. They managed that again with a fifth-placed finish last season, exiting at the last-16 stage at the hands of Barcelona in March.
He was also a crucial part of the team which ended the club’s 70-year domestic trophy drought, winning the Carabao Cup at Wembley last year with a 2-1 win over Liverpool – and delivering the corner from which Dan Burn scored their opener.
Trippier previously played in the Premier League for Burnley – Howe signed him as a 21-year-old from Manchester City in 2012 following a successful loan spell – and Tottenham, where he spent four years from 2015 before moving to Madrid.
Now he will focus on trying to help Newcastle back into Europe – they sit 12th in the Premier League with seven games to go, but are only six points off the top six in a congested mid-table.
Kieran Trippier will leave St James’s Park after a four-and-a-half-year spell
‘The time has come to leave this amazing club after four-and-a-half years,’ said Trippier in a club statement on Saturday morning.
‘This is where I have felt most at home. It’s emotional, and I’m really going to miss it.
‘I want to say a massive thank you to the supporters for all the support through the good and the bad times for me personally. You’ve always supported me, always stood by me.
‘To my team-mates, it’s going to be emotional. It’s been an amazing journey with you guys. I’m going to miss you all, but to win a trophy with you guys was really, really special – the best of my career.
‘And to the manager, Eddie Howe, all the coaching staff and the team behind the scenes, a massive thank you. The gaffer had the trust – twice – to sign me, gave me the opportunity to represent and captain this great club and most importantly, we managed to win a trophy.
‘I’m going to miss everyone at the club. Thank you.’
Last year Trippier celebrated Newcastle’s first major domestic trophy since the 1955 FA Cup
Newcastle head coach Howe said: ‘Kieran has been magnificent for us on and off the pitch. From the moment he walked through the door, he has helped to drive standards that have changed the club’s trajectory.
‘His performances on the pitch have been to the highest level. Building strong partnerships with the players around him. His outstanding technical ability helped elevate the team and his strong crossing ability helped create many goals and chances for his team-mates.
‘His leadership skills have been invaluable. In difficult moments his experience has proved calming and his drive and will to win has inspired the players to keep pushing forward.
‘While we’ll be saying goodbye to Kieran shortly, we also know we have a lot left to play for this season, and I know a player of Kieran’s character will be giving absolutely everything to end his time here on a high.’
