'Welcome back': Newcastle United cult hero returns home to see out his career

Former Newcastle United corner flag botherer and truck-driving winger Matt Ritchie has found a new club after leaving Newcastle this summer.

The 34-year-old ended his eight-year tenure at Newcastle United at the end of last season after his contract expired.

Ritchie was an instrumental part of the Newcastle side that got out of the Championship and the former Bournemouth man stuck around to become a useful utility player.

As well as that, he was part of the Leadership Group and was a hugely respected part of the squad. We'd love to see him come back to the Toon in some form of coaching role.

Ritchie has returned to where it all began

For now though, Ritchie has returned home to take care of some unfinished business.

Portsmouth today announced that Matt Ritchie has signed for the club that nurtured him as a boy and gave him his start in the game.

When Ritchie left Newcastle it was speculated that's where he'd end up, but then reports came out suggesting that signing a 34-year-old doesn't vibe with the Pompey transfer model and they'd probably pass up the opportunity to bring him home.

We'd love Ritchie to guide Pompey back to the Premier League

Those reports were clearly false as the man is now a Pompey player once again.

Pompey will once again play in the Championship next season after finishing the previous season as the winners of League One, ending their 12-year stint outside of the top two divisions.

There was a time when Portsmouth were Premier League regulars and there was an odd kinship between the Pompey fans and Newcastle as both sets of supporters share a similar obsessive mindset. It would be phenomenal if Ritchie could guide Pompey back to the promised land, but it's probably a bit much to ask.