Former Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey reveals his Carabao Cup final plans after Nottingham Forest move

The 30-year-old left Newcastle United on transfer deadline day, and signed two-and-a-half-year deal at the City Ground.

Shelvey had spent seven years on Tyneside, and the midfielder waved farewell to fans before the second leg of the club’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton.

However, Eddie Howe had initially rejected Shelvey’s request to leave, and it was only an 11th-hour plea from the former England international which changed his mind.

“Eddie did say ‘no’ – he said he couldn’t let me go at first,” said Shelvey, who was two starts away from triggering an extension to his United contract.

“I sort of pleaded with him to let me go, a lot of people don’t know this. He told me to sleep on it, then he said they could only let me go if they can get one in.

“I said I needed to leave, for a fresh start. I put my points across.

“The next day, he pulled me over and we had a little chat – and he granted my wish. Eddie said he wouldn’t stand in the way of my happiness.

“It was a decision I had to make for football reasons. But a big thing was for my family and their future. I wanted to come away and play games, feel part of it much more.

“It’s been a tough season, if anyone knows me, they know I just love playing football. I felt I needed a new, fresh start, that was the main reason.”

Shelvey plans to watch Newcastle play Manchester United at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final.

And the Romford-born player will get a medal if the club wins its first major trophy since 1969, having played in two of the earlier rounds.

“I shall be going to watch Newcastle play in the final and Forest play West Ham away, so it fits in nicely,” said Shelvey. “Plus, I read somewhere that if they win, I still get a medal.

“It’d be nice to go and watch them, but I’m more interested in playing against them now.

“I’ll still count it (the medal), I hope they do win it. But I only played two games in the competition.”

Shelvey, restricted to just five first-team appearances so far this season by injuries, has swapped a push for Champions League football with Newcastle for a survival battle with Forest.

“That club (Newcastle) is on the up massively, but then so is this club,” said Shelvey. “Obviously I’d heard great things about the manager (Steve Cooper) here, and I’d watched a few of their games.

“He has been brilliant, very detailed, really enjoyed working with him. Eddie Howe had a lot of great, positive things to say about him when I spoke to Eddie.

“I’ve done about four or five sessions with the team now, and I’ve really enjoyed the training.

“There are a lot of meetings and stuff like that, which I’m kind of used to anyway. He’s constantly pulling you in and stuff like that, so he’s a really hands-on manager. That works well for me.”