David Ginola lifts the lid on his Newcastle United exit and throws shade at Kenny Dalglish

Watching David Ginola play for Newcastle United was when I realised I was in love with the game. Ginola would literally give me butterflies every time he got the ball, the excitement of wondering what he was going to do next was immense.

The beautiful Frenchman was a popular figure on Tyneside for his silky smooth skills, his crossing abilities and his flair for scoring wonder goals - The goals against Manchester United and Ferencvaros immediately spring to mind.

My heart broke when Kenny Dalglish sold Ginola to Tottenham for £2.5 million in 1997 and the rumour was, and has always been, that Ginola pushed for the move.

It saw the winger greeted by boos every time he returned to St James' Park as a player. That bitterness has all dissolved now and Ginola is once again treated like a hero on Tyneside, as evidenced by his appearance in the fantastic away shirt promo earlier this year.

Kenny Dalglish pushed David Ginola out of the door

Now, The Chronicle has quoted from David Ginola's upcoming book shedding light on what really happened when Kenny Dalglish took over from Kevin Keegan.

"I didn’t want to leave the club but when Kenny Dalglish took over from Kevin it was a shock and it just wasn’t the same anymore. I argued with Kenny and he didn’t play me much after that.

"He tried to get rid of all the foreign players Kevin signed. I was frustrated at the time and I said something in the newspapers that if things don’t change, I will have to leave. The following day we had a row. He told me I couldn’t go to the newspapers and say these things. I said, ‘You treat me like I’m having an affair with your wife.’

"He said, ‘How dare you talk to me like that.’ I said, ‘At least I’m talking. You never look at me or talk to me.’ He wasn’t the guy to take us to the top, as it was proved. He didn’t make the most of the players we had.

"Under Kevin, it was such a pleasure every day in training and every Saturday away and at St James’ Park, where the atmosphere was magnificent. I miss those days. One day, those happy days will return."

Kevin Keegan understood what David Ginola meant to the fans

I can't say that I'm surprised at any of that as it always felt like Kenny was trying to destroy everything Kevin Keegan created. Dalglish made some quality signings, no doubt, but he made some absolute stinkers too - John Barnes and Ian Rush, anyone?

Keegan had the right idea as he'd turned down a big-money offer from Sir Bobby Robson for Ginola to move to Barcelona.

"Barcelona tried to sign me in 1996 and Kevin told Sir Bobby Robson, ‘No!’ I was back in the South of France for my summer break in 1996 when I took a call from someone with a Geordie accent.

"He said, ‘Hello David, this is Bobby Robson, I want to sign you for Barcelona.’ I thought it was a joke at first. Bobby added that he was going to call Kevin and make an offer. Then I got a call from Kevin two hours later. He told me Barcelona had offered £7 million, which was a lot of money in 1996. Kevin told me he was going to refuse it. Barcelona then raised the offer to £12 million.

"Kevin came back to me and said, ‘I don’t want you to leave. You’re doing very well for us. The fans love you and if I let you go, they will kill me. So, you’re staying here."