Newcastle United fan favourite reveals why he left the club with brutal Mike Ashley namecheck

After playing a key role in helping Newcastle get back to the Premier League at the first attempt, Enrique had been one of the club’s top performers during the 2010-11 season.

But the Spaniard had become disillusioned and frustrated by a supposed lack of ambition being shown by the club as he took to Twitter to voice his dissatisfaction.

“The club is allowing all the major players of the team to go,” he tweeted in the summer of 2011. “Seriously, do you think it is the fault of the players? Andy [Carroll], nobby [Kevin Nolan] etc etc.

"This club will never again fight to be among the top six again with this policy.”

Enrique was sold to Liverpool shortly afterwards for a reported fee of £6million. Ironically Newcastle, bolstered by the summer signings of Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba, did exactly what Enrique predicted they wouldn’t as they finished above Liverpool to claim fifth spot in the Premier League.

When explaining his decision to leave Newcastle, Enrique said: “First of all, I wish Newcastle all the best. I really hope they do really, really well this year.

“What happened at Newcastle is that I signed a five year contract. After three years, when we were promoted from the Championship to the Premier League, I asked if we could look at the contract and make it longer and obviously be paid more because I'd been doing well for two seasons.

"The season we got relegated I was okay, the first season I was **** to be honest with you then the season in the Championship, it was my best season.

"After that, I said 'I have two years left [on my contract], let's see what's happening, let's try and renew my contract with you guys, I'm sure it will not be a problem with money, we will sort it.' It didn't happen, they said, 'no, let's see you in the Premier League' but I'd played in the Premier League before but I gave it a go and see what happens.

"Then I started doing really well and other clubs started to be interested then in January, February, Newcastle started to contact me again.

"They said 'if you want to renew the contract now, this is the offer,' I said 'this is not a good enough offer, you have offered me exactly the same as I'm on now just a longer contract and I'm a much better player now than when I arrived here, I have clubs interested, I want to stay [at Newcastle] but you need to show me as well.'

"Nothing happened and then summer arrived, they saw Liverpool were interested and things like that and they offer me a new contract on the money that we were talking about from the start.

"I said to them 'it's too late' Liverpool had come in, five Champions League at the time, six now, I cannot say no to a club like this and that's why I left Newcastle.

“Obviously, Newcastle was in the wrong direction in that moment as well because Mike Ashley was the owner.”