'It meant a lot': 44-goal striker absolutely loved being back at St James' Park on Saturday

Newcastle United welcomed back two legends on Saturday as the half-time guests as St James' Park said it's goodbye to the 2023/24 Premier League season.

Jonas Gutierrez, who scored one of the most important goals in Newcastle's recent history was joined on the pitch by Papiss Demba Cisse who scored arguably one of the best Newcastle goals in recent history.

Gutierrez returned to action after a battle with cancer to score the goal that kept Newcastle in the Premier League as they beat West Ham 2-0 to secure safety.

Meanwhile, Papiss Cisse will always be remembered for that goal against Chelsea where he walloped the ball from way out on the left wing with the outside of his right boot only to see the ball loop over Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. That followed an almost equally impressive goal by Cisse in the first half, too.

Cisse was excited to see the Geordies on Saturday

Cisse spoke to NUFC TV before kick-off on Saturday about how much it meant to him to return to St James' Park with the former Senegal international saying it meant a lot to him.

"Just to take a step in the door to get inside to see people around and only to see the shirt, black and white, it means a lot for me. I'm so, so happy and excited to watch the game, to see the pitch and see the ground and the Geordie people. Honestly, I can't wait for that."

Cisse managed 44 goals for Newcastle in 131 appearances over his four-and-a-half-year stint at St James' Park. We can't even begin to imagine how many it would have been if someone had fully explained the offside rule to him.

Gutierrez will have loved coming back to a Mike Ashley-free Newcastle

Cisse and Gutierrez got an amazing reception at half-time on Saturday and both fully deserved it too after what they gave us during those dark Mike Ashley days.

Speaking of Mike Ashley, nobody will have been as glad to see him gone from our club as much as Jonas Gutierrez after the way he was treated by the Sports Direct tycoon.

Gutierrez battled cancer, returned to the club, scored the goal that kept Newcastle in the Premier League only to be told, via text message, that he wasn't getting a new contract. It's honestly the reason above so many others, that I genuinely hate Mike Ashley - and I don't throw that word around lightly.